


Broken Road

by AricaZorel



Series: All or Nothing [2]
Category: Mass Effect - All Media Types, Mass Effect Trilogy
Genre: Arguing, Canon-Typical Violence, Developing Relationship, Dorkiness, Dorks in Love, Emails, Everybody Lives, F/M, Family Loss, Flashbacks, Fluff and Angst, Getting Back Together, Humor, Language, Living Together, Making Up, Mass Effect 3, Mental Breakdown, Mental Health Issues, Minor EDI/Jeff "Joker" Moreau, Minor Garrus Vakarian/Tali'Zorah nar Rayya, Minor Shepard/Liara T'Soni, Minor canon divergence, Nerdiness, Normandy-SR2, Past Relationship(s), Romance, Sexual Content
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-27
Updated: 2020-11-27
Packaged: 2021-03-06 05:27:13
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 30
Words: 120,438
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25558069
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AricaZorel/pseuds/AricaZorel
Summary: With the Reapers inching closer to victory each day, Major Kaidan Alenko and Lt. Commander Kora Reese serve aboard the legendary Normandy captained by the equally legendary Commander Shepard. Between their last ditch efforts to change the fate of this cycle and the insidious plots of Cerberus, will they ever truly have the second chance they both want so much? Their past relationship aboard the SR1 and the years apart after its destruction by the Collectors left a mark on both of them. After reconnecting on Earth before the Reapers invaded, Kaidan and Kora face the consequences of their past choices. Will they be able to finally overcome their doubts and insecurities or will this time around end in heartbreak as well?"I set out on a narrow way many years agoHoping I would find true love along the broken roadBut I got lost a time or twoWiped my brow and kept pushing throughI couldn't see how every sign pointed straight to you"~'Bless the Broken Road' by Rascal Flatts
Relationships: Kaidan Alenko/Original Character(s), Kaidan Alenko/Original Female Character(s)
Series: All or Nothing [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1848730
Comments: 12
Kudos: 7





	1. Chapter 1

**_Friday, Sept. 22, 2186 CE Normandy SR-2 en route to the Citadel_ **

Lt. Cmdr. Kora Reese looked down at Major Kaidan Alenko as he lay on the bed in the Normandy’s medical bay. They had just escaped Mars after fleeing Earth. The past few hours left a bitter taste in everyone’s mouths even though they knew getting help from the Council was the best idea—for now. Regardless, Alenko lay battered, bruised and unconscious in the retrofitted Cerberus ship’s medbay as a direct result of saving Liara T’soni and Cmdr. Shepard. Both had been back to check on him, but the first human Specter had pulled Reese from duty and told her to watch him.

There was no other medical personal on board except EDI. The AI was currently using most of her extensive memory and processing power to help Liara decipher the Prothean device’s blueprints. Some was allocated to operating the medical bay, but it fell unhappily to Reese to perform most of the tasks to help keep Kaidan stable. As soon as Shepard had discovered she had field first aid training he’d ordered her to remain in medbay.

The Lt. Cmdr. snorted as she remembered why she had become medically certified to begin with. Kaidan had been a trained field medic aboard the SR1 and had always told her you never knew when it would come in handy. The few times she had gone on a shore party, it had been good to have a trained field medic. And after the SR1 went down she had decided to get all the field training she could. Now all the training was coming in handy to help the reason she had got it in the first place.

She looked at the monitors and sighed. No change. Technically that was good, but she had hoped that he would regain consciousness. He had taken a tremendous hit to the head. Aside from a concussion, Reese was worried about his implant. Being a biotic herself she knew the dangers head trauma posed to adepts but an L2…Their implants were… _finicky_ at the very least. L3’s such as herself were a little better off. But Kaidan had always refused an upgrade to a newer more reliable implant.

Reese shook her head to clear away the negative thoughts. He would be okay. He was strong and stubborn. Oh was he stubborn. She figured it was one of the reasons he and the Commander had gotten along so well. Everyone had become close on the mission to take down Saren but Kaidan and Shepard had become like brothers. Additionally, everyone knew just how close he and Liara had grown. On the other hand, not everyone had realized how close Alenko and Reese had gotten. Shepard knew, of course Joker knew, and Tali Z’orah because the Quarian and the Lt. JG at the time had become fast friends. It had been hard to admit at first but later had seemed so right.

Reese sighed again and wondered exactly what had gone wrong. Three years since the _Normandy_ had gone down and they had barely spoken until February. Since her assignment to the retrofit of the SR2, he had started talking to her again as if testing the waters. Then they had actually gone a date which had led to more dates. That in turn resulted in sleeping over at each other’s places and then seeing each other’s families again. Finally just a couple days before, they had been at his cabin for leave, talking about getting a place together and now this…

_Baby steps_

Her left hand hovered a centimeter above his forehead. The bruises keeping her from touching him as she so badly wanted to do. Instead she settled for holding his hand with her right. He never stirred.

She whispered as she leaned down next to his face, “I’m here, Kaidan. For better or worse. Please come back to me.”

******

**_2183 CE, Normandy SR-1_ **

_“You must be Lt. Reese,” a male voice said as a dark-haired female peered out from under a computer console. Her grey eyes looked up at him in surprise as she quickly jumped to her feet._

_“Umm, yes…sir,” she saluted as she hastily hid the screwdriver behind her back._

_Lt. Alenko cocked an eyebrow at her caught in the act antics. “I assume you have clearance to gut the ship.”_

_“I was_ **not** _gutting the ship,” she snapped defensively. “I was increasing the sensors…”_

_She trailed off realizing he had baited her, and she was raising her voice to a superior officer. “I apologize, sir. I was just enhancing the sensors before we got to Eden Prime.’_

_“Weren’t you supposed to have help?”_

_“Well, yes sir. But with all that’s going down and my_ help _is also in charge of the ship’s marine detail, I figured I could do it on the night shift…sir.”_

_Kaidan let a very small grin play across his lips. He was supposed to have been her help. Instead he said, “Joker was right about you.”_

_She narrowed her eyes. “He better watch what he says, brittle bones or not…sir.”_

_Alenko held up his hands in mock surrender. “All I was going to say was you’re good at what you do and you’re tenacious…”_

_“Lt., I do what I have to do to get the job done. That doesn’t mean—“_

_“Then we won’t have any problems.”_

_“What do you mean?”_

_“Apparently Captain Anderson wants you to do what your other CO’s have complained about. You see a problem and you fix it. You see areas for improvement you do it without asking permission.”_

_“It’s easier to ask for forgiveness than it is permission, sir.”_

_A strange shadow fell over his features for just a second and then was gone. “Just let me know at some point what you’re doing to so I can tell Shepard or the Captain.”_

_“Yes, sir.”_

_“So does this mean you’re not going to fly me through the air like you did Jenkins?”_

_“I never should have done that…biotics aren’t a toy—“_

_“I know, Lt.,” she said as she made her screwdriver hover in front of him. “But they can be fun if used responsibly.”_

_He studied her had. “You’re a biotic?”_

_“L3. Second exposure. Didn’t find out until I was a teenager. There was an_ accident _that exposed my mom on our colony while I was in utero and then another when I was teen. Both were transporting eezo.”_

_Alenko’s features darkened again. “I…understand. I was born this way though,” he said as he let his biotic flare for a moment for emphasis._

_“Look, Lt. I don’t mean to be disrespectful or disobedient or anything like that.”_

_“I know. You’re one of the best techs the Alliance has according to Anderson. I’m just not a people person.”_

_“If you don’t want to play poker with me or watch a movie together on movie night I get it. But I will be a good tech and…a soldier when needed.”_

_“Ummm, okay. But where did that come from?”_

_Reese started to blush as she averted her eyes. She never blushed but yet here she was doing it in front of Lt. Alenko. He was confused even further by her reaction. “Umm, Lt.?”_

_“I’m sorry. I ummm I guess I’m used to having to defend my abilities. My biotics and personal tendencies don’t make me popular with my crew usually…”_

_“Not a people person either then?”_

_“Well, yeah. You and the rest of the guys on the Normandy are the first crew that hasn’t treated me like…Well, this crew is one of the best I’ve served with. Just put it that way.”_

_“Ah, well, my mother tried to raise a gentleman, Lt. Reese.”_

_“I appreciate that.”_

_He smiled genuinely that time. “Would you like a hand finishing up?”_

_“Umm, sure if you’re free.”_

_“I couldn’t sleep anyway.”_

_“Lt. you don’t have to—“_

_“I want to. Besides we’re going to have to work together anyway…”_

_She smiled. “I think I might like that.”_

*****

**_Friday, Sept. 22, 2186 CE, Citadel, Serpent Nebula, Widow System_ **

Shepard left with Kaidan hours before leaving Reese in charge of the Normandy. Reports from the Alliance military placed a Reaper fleet in the Sol System with unknown numbers. All communications with Earth were cut off except for stray reports via QEC. Emily Wong somehow had acquired one and gave sporadic updates as she could. Arcturus Station was destroyed. Several other Alliance outposts had gone dark as well. It seemed the Reapers had come through the Batarian systems first and then made a bee line for Earth.

As the hours drug on and the report from Shepard about the Council’s response was less than encouraging, Reese couldn’t help but feel, well—helpless. The Normandy was fit to go. Traynor and her team had done everything to make the ship ready for Anderson to take command. Now he was rallying the people on Earth to fight back and Shepard was once again on the Normandy. This time though it seemed she was to be the first officer not just the Ops officer has Anderson had intended. Knowing the current situation was not the time to question the Commander she went along with his decision. Either way, she’d be remaining on the SR2.

Staring at the Galaxy Map she nearly jumped out of her skin when a hand landed on her shoulder. “Easy there, LC. Can’t have my first officer died of a heart attack before we even know where to go.”

Reese glance behind her with a death glare, knowing full well it was her CO. Hissing loudly, she said, “Don’t do that.”

“Nice to know some things don’t change,” Shepard remarked with a smirk.

She exhaled sharply as she set down her data pad. “Did you want something, Commander?”

The N7 grinned. “Well, aside from a status update, I wanted to let you know we’ll be leaving the Citadel as soon as fueling and resupply are completed. That gives you about an hour and a half to go visit the Major. We’ll be leaving for Turian space to obtain help from their military.”

“Shouldn’t I help prepare—”

“You should go see the Major while you can. I’m not sure when we’ll be back this way again,” Commander urged. He took a step forward. “I don’t know what happened while I was out of commission, but I do know the way you and he looked at one another in the shuttle bay…Go see him.”

“Aye, sir,” she replied softly as she headed towards the cockpit. Maybe Shepard was right. She did need to see him one more time.

*****

Reese walked down the hall passed the lounge area to the room the desk had directed her to. She stood outside the door watching through the glass as a red head woman checked over his charts. The Major laid immobile in the bed as the woman glanced down at him. The Lt. Commander took a breath and entered the room.

The woman turned around curiously. With a friendly smile she asked, “Are you Lt. Commander Reese? Commander Shepard said you would be by.”

“Yes, I am,” Reese replied cautiously. Something in the way the woman carried herself around Kaidan irked her. “And you would be?”

“Oh, forgive me,” she replied with a light chuckle. “I am Dr. Chloe Michel. I’ll be the one overseeing the Major’s recovery.”

Reese nodded as she approached the woman. “Will be he okay?”

“I believe so. I need to run more tests and he will need to be monitored closely,” Michel answered as she ran a hand lightly over his hand. “Kaidan is stubborn enough to come through this just fine. He will just need to let himself rest and recuperate.”

“Kaidan? Do you know him?”

“Oh, well, Yes actually. We met during the Normandy first visit to the Citadel and then met again when he was assigned to Admiral Anderson….” She trailed off glancing down at a data pad. “You are on his contact list and you…He designated you as the one to make medical decisions in the event he could not.”

While she hadn’t known about that particular decision of his, it didn’t surprise her considering the nature of their relationship as of late. What did surprise her was the notice of curiosity in the Doctor’s voice. “Yes. Is that a problem? The Major’s next of kin are out of contact…They are on Earth.”

“Well, no. I just didn’t think he…Never mind. It doesn’t matter,” Michel replied as she composed herself. Looking back at her, the red head added, “Since you are undoubtedly here to visit him, I won’t keep you. I would just like you to know that while the Major is unconscious that I will send any requests for tests or other medical treatments to the Normandy.”

“I’ll make sure any messages from you are flagged as a priority then,” the tech said politely as she glanced at Kaidan again. He had not moved at all. Bruises covered his face as well as his upper body. The Cerberus mech had received orders to kill him. EDI had picked up the transmission. One more reason to hate them.

“I appreciate that,” the doctor said as she began heading to the door. “One thing though: if you are going back out on the Normandy, will my messages always get through? Commander Shepard is known for…going off the beaten path as it were. Maybe you should give me carte blanche to make those decisions in your place—“

“That will not be necessary, Doctor Michel,” Reese interjected. “Normandy’s comm systems are state of the art and I guarantee any message you send will get through even if I have to use backdoor channels.”

“I see,” Michel replied. “I will leave you then. Good day.”

Reese watched as the woman left the room, the door sliding shut behind her. There was more to Doctor Chloe Michel and Kaidan but that was for another time. At that moment she didn’t care. All she wanted was to see him and know he was okay. But he wasn’t really okay. He was unconscious, banged up and bruised like she had never seen. His implant more than rattled. He was in a coma and wouldn’t wake up for awhile. And when he did, Reese more than likely wouldn’t be there.

The realization struck her like a punch to the stomach. After everything she wouldn’t be there for him when he woke up or for a majority of his recovery. She’s be on the Normandy aiding Shepard in his attempt to win against the Reapers. She wouldn’t be there for her family back on Earth either. Neither would he. They had fled to safety only to knowingly walk into the fire again in the slim hopes of recovering something from the Archives on Mars to save them all. And now Kaidan laid hospitalized for who knew how long.

She lowered her gaze to his hand that lay above the sheets. Just a few days before they had been at his cabin staring up at the northern lights talking about taking their relationship further. Fate had brought them back together and she would be damned if it took him away.

Reese reached out and gently took his hand in hers. “I promise I’ll be back. Just don’t go anywhere. I’ve got somethings Shepard wants me to do. I’ll be on the Normandy just like before. Just without you. I wish you could be there.”

She paused. “Please fight. Don’t give up. Don’t let Cerberus win. We need you. Shepard needs you. I need you. We still have to decide on what kind of place we want.”

Reese leaned down and lightly kissed his lips. “You said you’d come back, and you did. Now I just need you to wake up and come back to the Normandy. I’m not doing this without you this time, Major. This is our second chance. We aren’t allowed to screw up this time.”

She would do her duty. She would serve on the Normandy. She would use every trick she knew to help find a way to defeat the Reapers. She would not give up and nor give up on him. She couldn’t. She had him back and the Reapers be damned. They would find a way.


	2. Chapter 2

**Sept. 25, 2186**

**SSV Normandy SR1**

**Lt. Commander K. Reese**

**Huerta Memorial Hospital**

**Dr. C. Michel**

**Patient Update: Mjr. K. Alenko**

Lt. Commander Reese,

I am pleased to inform you that Major Alenko has continued to make steady improvements on all fronts. His internal injuries are healing nicely, and he is stable. He has yet to regain consciousness, but this is not to be unexpected. The swelling around his implant continues to diminish which is a good sign. However, as an L2, complications are likely to arise. So far they have not but I will continue to monitor him closely. I will continue to keep you apprised of his condition.

Dr. Chloe Michel

*****

**Sept. 25, 2186**

**Huerta Memorial Hospital**

**Dr. C. Michel**

**SSV Normandy SR1**

**Lt. Commander K. Reese**

Dr. Michel,

Thank you for you update. I have passed along the information to Commander Shepard who wishes to thank you for your efforts. As promised, I have flagged all correspondence from you as priority. If you need anything or have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Thank you for taking care of Major Alenko.

Lt. Commander Reese

******

**Sept. 30, 2186**

**SSV Normandy SR1**

**Lt. Commander K. Reese**

**Huerta Memorial Hospital**

**Dr. C. Michel**

**Patient Update: Mjr. K. Alenko**

Lt. Commander Reese,

Major Alenko continues to improve overall. Bruising and swelling have improved considerably. However, scans reveal possible damage to the tissue around his implant. It is noted in his file that he has refused to upgrade to a new implant multiple times. Dr. Chakwas has also made notes that he suffers from migraines which can be debilitating at times. Considering all this, I would like permission to perform non-evasive scans and possibly biopsies of the area if needed. I truly believe these actions are for the best. Please reply soon.

Dr. Michel

*******

**Sept. 30, 2186**

**Huerta Memorial Hospital**

**Dr. C. Michel**

**SSV Normandy SR!**

**Lt. Commander K. Reese**

Dr. Michel,

I am well aware of the complications the L2 implant can cause and the difficulties the Major has faced because of it. You have my permission and full support to conduct the procedures you requested. Please do what you can for him, short of replacing his implant. Once again thank you.

Lt. Commander Reese

*******

**Oct. 2, 2186**

**SSV Normandy SR1**

**Lt. Commander K. Reese**

**Huerta Memorial Hospital**

**Dr. C. Michel**

**Patient Update: Mjr. K. Alenko**

Lt. Commander Reese,

I have two pieces of news for you. One: the preliminary results show that there is no damage to the implant. Two: The Major has regained consciousness. He seems lucid and all the tests we have conducted show that he has not suffered any neurological damage. We will run more tests of course and continue to monitor his implant. I am sure you will receive a message from him soon. He has already asked where you are and if you are on the Normandy.

Dr. Michel

******

**Oct. 2, 2186**

**SSV Normandy SR1**

**Lt. Commander K. Reese**

**Citadel, Alliance**

**Major K. Alenko**

Reese,

Guess what? I’m awake. They tell me I’ve been out for awhile and that I’m going to make a full recovery. I guess I’ve missed a lot since Mars. They won’t let me watch the news and my contact with the outside world is limited.

I know you can’t be here, but I wouldn’t mind a reply of any kind. They won’t tell me what’s going on with Earth or the Normandy. They say I need rest. I know my doctor means well but I need to know. Did going to Mars make a difference? Are you okay? What’s the Normandy up to?

Please, let me know something. Anything.

I miss you, Kori.

Kaidan

_Talking to you is how I deal with…everything._

*******

**Oct. 2, 2186**

**Citadel, Alliance**

**Major K. Alenko**

**SSV Normandy SR1**

**Lt. Commander K. Reese**

Kaidan,

While I’m glad you are finally awake, I doubt the doctors have already declared you are going to make a fully recovery. You designated me as the one to make medical decisions if you were out of it. That made me privy to what the doctors’ found. You still have a long way to go.

In regard to your questions: yes, going to Mars was worthy it. I can’t say much via this communication. Just know that the Normandy is doing what it can to head the response to the Reaper threat. Shepard is not happy with how this is going down, but we don’t have much of a choice right now. I know you want to do something but what you need to do right now is get better. I am doing as well can be expected. I wish you were here but that can’t happen right now.

Do what Dr. Michel tells you to do. She seems to know you a little and your stubborn tendencies.

Reese

******

**Oct. 3, 2186**

**SSV Normandy SR1**

**Lt. Commander K. Reese**

**Citadel, Alliance**

**Major K. Alenko**

Reese,

Dr. Michel tells me you talked to her before the Normandy left the Citadel. Yes. I know her. We met when the SR1 first came here and then again when I was assigned to Anderson. She knows her stuff. I guess I will be a good boy and listen to my doctor.

Now what I want to know is: are you really doing okay? Surely the food on the Normandy is better than the stuff they have here. The doctor says I have to eat a special diet because of my biotics. I would hardly call this food special. I miss my dad’s steak sandwiches he would fix on the grill. Hell, I miss your Gran’s baked apples. I miss beers with you while watching Star Wars.

I miss you. I need to know what is going on out there. Please. Jury-rig a secure comm or something and tell me. Your techie and you were in R & D. Give me something. Let me know that you are being careful. Please.

We still need to decide where we are going to live. Remember?

Kaidan

_I like the little things that you do that you don’t realize you’re doing._

******

**Oct. 4, 2186**

**Citadel, Alliance**

**Major K. Alenko**

**SSV Normandy SR1**

**Lt. Commander K. Reese**

Kaidan,

This is encrypted. Hopefully you figured that out and remembered my favorite encryption key. Anyway, Shepard wants me to remind you to not try to escape the hospital.

We found blueprints for a Prothean device that is capable of mass destruction. The Alliance is pouring all the resources it can into building it. We think it may be the only way to defeat the Reapers. We had to save to Turian Primarch so he could spear head a summit with the Asari and Salarians. The Krogan invited themselves, sort of. It’s complicated. Suffice to say politics is playing an unwelcomed part in all this.

As for myself, I’m doing what I do. Helping and making a nuisance of myself in a productive way. No, I have not been threaten with being thrown off the Normandy. No, I have not overdone my biotics. Yes, I have been getting sleep and taking my meds.

Now you take care of yourself. I’ll make you some baked apples when you get released. As far as moving in with one another, I don’t think that’s going to happen anytime soon. But if you’re thinking about the future…I really liked your cabin.

Reese

******

**Oct. 4, 2186**

**SSV Normandy SR1**

**Lt. Commander K. Reese**

**Citadel, Alliance**

**Major K. Alenko**

Reese,

I’m doing exactly what my doctor tells me to do. It’s not like I have much choice. Chloe can be very bossy when it comes to medical concerns. I never through I would be her patient. That just means she knows how to keep me in line.

She mentioned that she talked to you before the Normandy left port. Something about making sure you were reachable for medical decisions since I was out. I appreciate what you two have done. Sorry I didn’t tell you about making you responsible for those decisions. I didn’t really think I’d ever have to put you through that. Chloe says you’ve come through every time she needed something. Thanks, Kori.

She’s not letting me have access to much right now. Says I’m improving but doesn’t want the stress from the war to weigh on me. She doesn’t know me as well as she thinks. The not knowing is what is really killing me. But you know that. Thanks for the update you were able to give me. Hopefully soon I can do more than get news second hand.

I know you’re doing what you can in all this. I really thought the Normandy would be back at the Citadel by now. I want to see you. Convince Shepard to make a pit stop here or something.

I need to talk to you. Udina showed up this morning. Offered to make me a Specter. I’m pretty sure it’s a political stunt but if I accepted I could do more. I could save more lives. I need to talk to somebody about this. I shot Shepard an email about this, but I want your input too. We’re together now. Aren’t we? That means I need to consider your opinion, right?

I miss you, Kori.

Kaidan

_You know what’s wonderful? You. You are wonderful, even on a bad day._

******

**Oct. 6, 2186**

**Citadel, Alliance**

**Major K. Alenko**

**SSV Normandy SR1**

**Lt. Commander K. Reese**

Kaidan,

Sorry I might not be able to respond as much. Hackett piled on some extra requests before we can make it back to the Citadel. Gathering resources is top priority too.

Glad Dr. Michel knows you well enough to know how to handle you. I suppose that is a good thing in my absence. I’ll have to trust her and you then.

Flag you message if it’s an emergency. Otherwise I’ll get to it when my duties permit. Keep getting better.

Reese

P.S. You know you’d make a hell of a Specter. Don’t let the political crap get to you.

******

**Oct. 7, 2186**

**SSV Normandy SR1**

**Lt. Commander K. Reese**

**Citadel, Alliance**

**Major K. Alenko**

Reese,

That was short and impersonal. What’s going on? I know you’re the Ops Officer and the resident Reaper/Geth expert but come on. You always find time to write me back. What gives?

What was that bit about trusting Chloe in your absence? And having to trust us? You aren’t jealous are you? Or thinking that I’m cheating on you, do you? You know I’d never do that. I swear she’s just my doctor. Nothing more.

Udina called me again wanting an answer. I still want to talk to you before I decide. Please let me know when you might be here again.

Kaidan

_Long distance is no fun, and it’s already been too long, because when I’m not with you, I always feel away from home._

******

**Oct. 10, 2186**

**SSV Normandy SR1**

**Lt. Commander K. Reese**

**Citadel, Alliance**

**Major K. Alenko**

Kori,

Come on. No reply? At all? Am I in the dog house? What did I do?

Don’t pull that ‘too busy crap’ either. Shepard responded. Hell, so did Joker. I even have an email from EDI. She says she owes me an explanation and possibly an apology before I board the Normandy next. What does that even mean? She an AI isn’t she?

Look, I know you aren’t that busy and I know you are pissed about something. What is it? The only thing I can think of is Chloe. I already swore there was nothing between us. If its not that, then its because you can’t be here. We both have a duty and we will both do it. But that’s not it, is it?

Please, sweetheart. Give me something. I need to know we are still good. You said you liked my cabin. Maybe someday we could live there….

Please reply, Kori. Please. I miss you so much.

Kaidan

_You’re that ‘nothing’ when people ask me what I’m thinking about._

*******

**_Friday, Oct. 13, 2186, Normandy SR2, Docking Bay D-94, Citadel_ **

****

“He’s asking to see you, Reese,” Shepard said as he looked over her shoulder in the CIC.

The Lt. Cmdr. jumped as the Specter grinned. “Don’t do that. Why do you keep doing that?”

“Look, I’m sorry,” he said dressed in cargo pants and a black leather N7 jacket. “But he says you won’t return his emails and the doctors told him you had visited him when he was unconscious.”

“I can’t. Not right now. You need this Reaper data analyzed and the _Normandy_ still isn’t 100 percent. You didn’t make me chief operations officer just to have me let you down.”

“I didn’t make you first officer just to have you drive me insane with your boyfriend either,” Shepard said as he made her look at him. “Not many people get a second chance, Reese. I’m making mine count for all its worth. Maybe you should do the same. They don’t happen very often.”

“Shepard, I—“

“Do you still care about him?”

“Yes.”

“Then go to him. EDI and Traynor can cover things for a while.”

“But—“

“I can make it an order, Lt. Cmdr.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Good. Take all the time you need. The _Normandy_ is going to be here for a while…”

*****

**_Huerta Memorial Hospital, Citadel_ **

Nervous the entire way to the hospital, Reese cursed as she stood outside Kaidan’s room. The wall was totally made of glass. The only reason he didn’t see her was because he had his head turned to look out the window. She looked down at the vids in her hand. They were copies of old movies EDI had dug up. Knowing what he liked it was the only thing she had come up with as a get well soon gift.

Now she wondered if it was a stupid move. Were you supposed to give your sort of boyfriend a gift? She rolled her eyes and then exhaled sharply. Chastising herself for being a big chicken, she finally opened the door to his room.

Not realizing it was her at first Alenko called without turning his head, “Don’t you think you should leave some blood in me so you have some for all the tests you’ll want to run tomorrow?”

Reese frowned and without thinking she said, “While I do like to run tests, I can think of much better ways to spend my time with a bedridden shirtless Major.”

Kaidan turned his head at the sound of her voice quickly. A little too late he realized his mistake and winced. Despite the pain and the wave of nausea, the sentinel managed a convincing grin especially at the embarrassed look on her face. “Hey! There you are!”

The tone of this voice let her know he was genuinely glad to see her. Her embarrassment subsided and was replaced by relief as she tried to wrestle away the rest of her doubts. She entered the room the rest of the way and the doors shut behind her. Now it was just the two of them…

“Hey, Kaidan,” she replied weakly.

He cocked an eyebrow, his enthusiasm fading. “You don’t really want to be here do you?”

“I didn’t say that—“

“You didn’t have to. Your tone and the fact you’re creeping in here did…”

“Kaidan—“

“Don’t ‘ _Kaidan’_ me! I think I know you well enough to know when you don’t want to do something. I want you here but if you don’t—“

“Shut up, Alenko! If you knew me so well you’d know I get like this when I’m scared.”

“Scared?”

“You almost died, Kaidan! I saw what happened to you and I had to take care of you until we got here. What am I supposed to think or do? You start talking to me again. We were trying—really trying and then you go off and try to get yourself killed!”

“Kori…”

“No,” she snapped as she slammed the vids on a nearby table. “You send me emails saying you need to talk to me. You want to see me. You end your emails with those little random thoughts like you did on Earth. You used to get onto me for being impulsive and stupid on the SR1. I ended up in the medbay because of it. What makes you any different? Why should I believe you now?”

He exhaled slowly. “Because I still care. Because I’ll do anything to make this right. Because I want to make it up to you. Because I want you in my life again. Because I’m a better person with you in my life. Because we have a second chance to be together like you said.”

Reese looked at him in silence as she fidgeted. Even after all the fights, the silences, the sheer distance, he still knew what to say. She clenched her hands into fists willing her emotions to settle. Unshed tears glistened in her eyes, as she gritted her teeth.

“Reese, I don’t deserve it but I’m still asking for it anyway,” Alenko said as he attempted to sit up a little straighter. “Reese, say something…anything, please?”

After a long silence her resolve broke and she almost sobbed. “Kaidan, I thought you might die.”

“I’m right here,” He reassured softly. “A little worse for wear but I’m here.”

The Lt. Cmdr. moved to stand beside the hospital bed. “I wasn’t sure…”

“Did you read my emails?”

“Well, sort of. I—“

“You read them but convinced yourself I didn’t mean what I wrote,” he said a little hurt.

Reese lowered her head in shame as Kaidan reached for her hand. “Hey, look at me.”

She did and met his whiskey colored eyes with her grey ones. He smiled at her despite his bruised cheek and eye. “Would you be up for just talking? I’m really bored in here.”

“Bored? I saw plenty of pretty nurses running around. Most of them were talking about the cute biotic. And your doctor—”

“I’d rather look at the pretty biotic in front of me and have her talk about me…”

“Major, are you flirting with me?”

“Trying to. How am I doing?”

She observed with a smile, “A little better than before but you still need practice.”

“Then you’ll have to let me practice more,” he replied as he tugged her towards him.

Reese took the hint and sat down gently on the edge of the bed. The Major cupped her cheek with his other hand and wiped away the unshed tears. “Kori, I’m sorry for everything. I know that doesn’t make it right and it’s not an excuse. But I’m sorry. I really am in this for the long haul with you. Do you believe me?”

“Kaidan, I just want to move passed everything…I want to get passed it…I want to get past all these doubts and be with you.”

“So does that mean we are still picking out a place?” he replied as his gaze wandered back to the window. “I want that more than anything…”

“Of course we are. You have to know I want that to. Everything that happened between us since February…You have to know that.”

She saw a smile tug at the corner of his lips. “Then that’s a place to start. Baby steps.”

She nodded and then couldn’t help but ask, “So does this mean you get to tell those pretty nurses and your doctor that you’re taken?”

He turned back with a twinkle in his eye. “Damn straight.”


	3. Chapter 3

**_Wednesday Oct. 25, 2186, Huerta Memorial Hospital, Citadel_ **

“So the _Normandy’s_ back again?” Kaidan asked with a grin as he sat up in the bed without wincing this time.

Reese nodded as she entered his room. He was still shirtless same as before. Now she thought he was doing it on purpose. “We docked for resupply and Shepard thinks he has some leads on Cerberus…and getting some more people on board with the war effort…”

Kaidan narrowed his eyes. “There’s something more isn’t there?”

“Well, yeah. Shepard’s enlisting again…” She let that hang in the air as Alenko wore a knowing grin, the door sliding shut behind her.

“Not exactly what the Alliance would normally take?” he asked as he moved over on the bed.

“Yeah,” the Ops Officer replied as she walked over to him. “It’s a group of people you would never think could work together. Kinda like the SR1 only this time on a galactic scale.”

“Of course it is,” he said as he took her hand. “So anything else?”

“Umm, well, we found a living Prothean…”

“Wait, that wasn’t made up by Joker?” Kaidan asked with surprise, referring to a report Shepard had sent him a few days prior.

The L3 shook her head. “Nope. It’s real and he’s a stuck-up arrogant jackass that has crushed Liara’s dreams of the Protheans being noble scholars.”

“Poor kid,” he murmured as he grazed his thumb over the back of her hand.

“She’s not exactly a kid anymore, being the Shadow Broker and all…”

“Well, yeah,” he said looking up at her as he pulled her down to sit beside him. “So how are _you_?”

“Ummm, I’m fine considering everything that’s going on,” she said as she entangled her fingers again. “Why?”

“Weeellll, you didn’t tell me that you were first officer,” he said with a grin. “You said you were just chief operations officer.”

Reese averted her eyes as she said softly, “I didn’t think it mattered.”

“I do,” he said as he hooked her chin with a finger and made her look at him. “It’s a big deal. You’re first officer under the Commander freaking Shepard.”

“I was the ranking officer aboard when the _Normandy_ had to leave dry dock…”

“Don’t make excuses for what you’ve earned. You deserve this just like you deserved to be posted on the original _Normandy_. I’ve always thought that,” he said as he leaned forward.

“Kaidan…”

“I know I’ve screwed things up, but I never lost faith in you or what you could do. It was _me_. I had to figure things out about me…” he said vaguely referencing the crash of the SR1. 

“Kaidan…” Reese began hesitantly, her ever present doubts bubbling just beneath the surface. “Was there more to you leaving then just that. You explained why you felt why you had to leave. But why didn’t you try to contact me again? “

“I don’t—Can we not talk about that right now? I just want to know you’re alright,” he said sincerely as he cupped her cheek.

The female biotic frowned but agreed reluctantly. She had half expected his reaction, but she still had to ask. “Okay, for now. But this isn’t over…”

“I’d expect nothing less from you,” he said with relief evident in his voice, his hand tightening around hers. “But seriously, are you okay? Really?”

She exhaled. “I’m worried about everything. About whether I can do what Shepard’s asked me to do, whether I can really be XO, whether my family will be okay, whether you’re really okay…”

“Hey, hey. I’m gonna be fine. I know you’ve talked to my doctors. Didn’t they tell you I’d be okay?” he asked with concern. Talking openly about her doubts had never really been her style.

“I—yeah, but I’ve seen your charts…” she said still not meeting his gaze.

“So?” he asked. She had never been one for medical jargon, at least on the SR1. She had always asked him for a translation.

“Your implant was more than rattled, Kaidan. If that damn Cerberus mech had thrown you against the wall one more time or just a little harder you would have been a vegetable,” she said finally looking at him. His whiskey colored eyes full of shock. He hadn’t told anyone that part. He figured it hadn’t happened, so it didn’t matter.

“How— _how_ do you know that?” he asked quietly wondering exact what she had been doing since they had parted ways after the _Normandy_ had gone down. Her file was remarkably vague about that time.

“I took your advice. I’m a fully trained field medic now. Class A certified,” she explained simply.

Kaidan opened his mouth to say something but stopped when she added quietly, avoiding his gaze, “That’s why Shepard pulled me from duty to watch over you after Mars until we could get you here.”

“I—Reese, I didn’t know,” he replied shakily. He hadn’t wanted to cause her anymore worry but he had. He had added to all the bad things she’s associated with him since his untimely departure after the mission with Saren had been completed.

“It doesn’t matter now. You’re okay,” she said looking out the window at the air traffic. People going about their business as if nothing was happening outside the Citadel.

“I want _you_ to be okay…” the major said as he watched her gaze out the window. He raised a hand to her cheek, caressing it tenderly, trying to reassure her of his sincerity.

She closed her eyes. “I think we need time but with everything…I don’t know that we’ll have it…”

“Reese, what have you heard?” Alenko asked sensing she was hesitating about something related to him.

“Nothing. Just what you said about Udina tapping you to become a Specter,” she admitted as she brought her gaze back to him.

“Well, yeah. I wanted to talk to you about that…”

“I’m here now.”

“I wanted to talk to you in person not in an email. I wanted to explain why I said I would even think about it. I can’t stand the man, but Udina is offering me a chance to make a real difference…”

“You’ve already made a real difference…”

“You don’t think I should take it.”

“No, I think you should take it because you want it not because Udina is throwing you a recruiting line.”

“I can think for myself.”

“I know. I just want you to _keep_ doing it.”

“So you’re okay with it then?”

“As long as you do it for your own reasons and no one else’s, yes. But my opinion shouldn’t factor in.”

“It does. And you know I want to hear it,” He smiled at her.

Reese made a face at him. He chuckled and then asked, “Seen any good movies lately?”

“I haven’t had time…”

“Well, I’ve watched everything you brought last time, but how about we watch one again… _together_.”

“I think I can do that…”

**_Saturday Oct. 28, 2186, SSV Normandy SR2, location: classified_ **

Even with the weeks that had passed since having to evac Earth, the _Normandy_ was still being upgraded. That not only included the upgrades ordered by the Alliance techs but also some things the crew had run into along the way. Shepard had never been one to turn down an advantage and now was no exception. Anything the engineers or techs came up with was fair game including borrowing tech from other species. Having made allies and friends over the past 3 years was coming in handy as the number of retrofits to the SR2 grew.

The upgrades made everyone busy but at the same time made everyone feel as if they could win…Morale was of the utmost importance and Shepard knew that. So it didn’t surprise Reese when he threw out every once in a while that he had a Reaper tech expert on board the _Normandy_. Usually she just grinned and bared it as was her standard response to things that annoyed her, but she couldn’t respond to.

At the moment Reese was fiddling with some Reaper code Tali Zorah had recovered from Legion several months ago. The original sample had been left on Earth but the Quarian had managed to get her another sequence of code. Starting roughly where she had been forced to leave off, the Lt. Cmdr. was glad to have access to EDI and to Specialist Traynor who also seemed to have a knack for computers. The lab tech wasn’t Tali, but she brought her own unique talents and insights to the project. Either way Reese appreciated the help.

However, at the moment Traynor was indulging in one of Reese’s pet peeves: scuttlebutt. Trying to ignore the specialist really didn’t work since she was making comments in between telling the Lt. Cmdr. things she actually needed to know. She sighed and turned her attention back to the work station to the right of the other woman. At least no one was around this time…

“I hear that Major Alenko is going to make a full recovery,” Traynor commented as she studied the latest simulations EDI had run.

Reese nodded as she studied the same readout. Maybe if she didn’t actually say anything…

After a long moment of silence, the Specialist looked through the holo image and asked, “He is going to be alright isn’t he? Shepard didn’t say anything to suggest otherwise.”

“No, the Major is going to be just fine. He’ll probably even get a promotion or something out of it. He’s itching to return to duty as soon as possible.”

“Will he rejoin the _Normandy_ or take a position somewhere else? The Commander seemed to hope he’d come back aboard.”

“Shepard and Alenko are close…at least they used to be. I think they’ve patched things up.”

“I had thought that maybe since _you_ had been visiting him in the hospital whenever we dock at the Citadel that you might want him to come back aboard too, ma’am.”

Reese sighed and looked at the other woman for the first time. “Traynor, if you have a question just ask it. You aren’t going to find out anything that someone who served with us before won’t tell you. So let’s have it.”

“Well, ma’am, Joker hinted that you and the Major were more than colleagues on the original _Normandy_ and I just—“

“Joker was telling the truth, Sam. Kaidan and I were more than colleagues and more than friends, but things changed after the SR1 went down. He—We parted ways and just started talking again a few months ago after we were both stationed on Earth again under Ad. Anderson, but you know that.”

“So you are talking? Nothing more?”

“ _Traynor_.”

“That’s something, ma’am. More than talking is good.”

“Yeah. I suppose it is.”

Traynor smiled and then added, “It looks like EDI thinks the best way to manipulate the code right now is to block the signal it produces and changing or resequencing the code is also possible but much more complicated.”

“Of course it is.”

“You’ll figure it out, ma’am.”

Reese looked at her and then asked, “Which one the code or the man?”

“Both.”

**_Monday Nov. 6, 2186, SSV Normandy SR2, en route to Citadel, Serpent Nebula, Widow System_ **

“Hey when’s the next time the _Normandy’s_ going to be heading this way?” Kaidan asked over the vidcom. He was still in the same hospital room, but he was dressed in his uniform this time much to Reese’s disappointment.

“We’re on our way there now actually. Shepard said he received some important information about the Council he needs to check into personally. So we are going to the Citadel again and he said he’d brief us before we docked,” Reese replied as she shifted her position on her bed.

Alenko was quiet for a minute, his whiskey colored eyes watching her movements. “You know that’s not like him. Something big is going on.”

“I know,” the Lt. Cmdr. replied as she looked at the monitor.

“You’ll be careful won’t you, Kori?” the sentinel asked with worry lines accenting his handsome features.

“Of course. But I hear that you’re going to take the Specter position,” she teased trying to change the subject. With the tension aboard the Normandy at the moment, she wanted a distraction and teasing him had always been a good option.

“Yeah well, I technically already have. Udina just hasn’t had the official ceremony yet. Said something about wanting to make it a big deal to increase morale or something…”

Reese watched as he trailed off and looked away. He still wasn’t sure about taking it. “Kaidan, you are doing this for the right reasons. _Your_ reasons. You’re a good soldier and an honorable man. You made the right choice.”

“I wish you were here,” he admitted softly. He glanced back at her, his eyes showing just how much he missed her. Truth be told she missed him just as much. Over a month without him nearby wasn’t something she was enjoying. Maybe now…

“We’re on our way. Should just be a couple hours if that. We weren’t very far away for a change,” she said with a smile.

“Kori, I want to…I don’t know…The past three years have been hell one way or another. And then you walk back into my life and everything seemed to fall back into place. Things never go as I plan and you…”

She sat back and watched as the wheels in the Major’s head started to work. She had wanted to have this conversation but not over the vidcom. Something was bothering him, and it had to do with her. She suddenly realized he had never brought up her relationship with another biotic she had been involved with during his absence. Nor had he mentioned his relationship with anyone, though she suspected Dr. Chloe Michel was involved. Was that it?

“You were able to move on and start seeing other people. I wasn’t. Not really,” he said finally.

She remained silent as his eyes finally met hers again. He continued slowly, “I heard you were involved with Michael Westmore and it was pretty serious. I know he went with Shepard on the O4 relay mission but—“

“He died protecting Joker when the Collectors boarded the _Normandy_ …” she said quietly.

Kaidan nodded. “I…Shepard told me. I knew Mike from BaAT. He was a good man but…”

“How could I be with him when I still had feelings for you?” she said evenly, devoid of emotion.

Alenko caught the change in her tone and knew he was treading on dangerous ground. “Well, yeah, I guess…I had thought about trying to find you again but when I heard you were with him it seemed kind of pointless.”

Reese’s temper flared. He wanted to have _this_ conversation now over vidcom. _What the hell?_

“You could have come and found me anytime. God knows I tried for a year to get you to talk to me again, but you wouldn’t. I made no secret where I was. I even let your parents know where I was, and Ad. Anderson _always_ knew where I was. You just didn’t want to put forth the effort to fix what you screwed up. Then you used Michael as an excuse not to do anything else.”

“That’s not true. I tried…”

“Well, you didn’t try hard enough. Michael told me why he had to leave and hoped we could be together again when he got back… _if_ he got back. But yeah, I would have continued a relationship with him. I would have wanted more with him. The thing is I would have wanted that with you if you had ever asked for a second chance instead of continuing to ignore me. But you knew that. You were just scared, and you let happenstance make the choice for you. If we hadn’t crossed paths on Earth would you _ever_ have tried to find me?”

“That’s not fair, Reese. Things happened…”

Suddenly a klaxon sounded on Kaidan’s end and a calm robotic voice started advising people to make their way to the nearest emergency shelters. She watched as Kaidan jumped up and activated his omni-tool.

“Kaidan, what’s going on?”

“Kori, I gotta go. Something big is going down. Tell Shepard to get here as fast as he can,” Kaidan said as he reached to turn the monitor off.

“ _Kaid?”_

“No matter what I care about you more than anything,” he said as he flipped the switch.

The feed went black and Reese slumped against the wall. There was trouble, Kaidan was in the middle of it or soon would be and they had just had a fight…

_Damn_ …

“Reese to Shepard.”

“Shepard here.”

“We need to get to the Citadel ASAP. Kaidan just told me something big is going down but then had to cut the feed. All I know is the emergency warning system was advising people to get to their nearest shelter.”

“Acknowledged. Mind getting up here to help?”

“On my way.”

The comm clicked off as she mentally put aside their fight for now. It could wait until she knew he was alright then she would beat the snot out of him. The mission came first as always…


	4. Chapter 4

**_Wednesday, Nov. 8, 2186, SSV Normandy SR2_ **

“I’ve been back aboard the _Normandy_ for nearly two days and you haven’t talked to me once unless it was duty related,” Major Kaidan Alenko said as he looked over at the woman in the elevator with him.

Shaking her head, she kept her eyes forward, her expression never changing. “I haven’t had a reason to, Major.”

Kaidan frowned at the woman who had once held his heart in her hands and still did even if she were being stubborn. “You came to visit me in the hospital. We talked over the ‘net. We’ve been dating, staying at each other’s places. We even talked about getting our own place. You let me call you my girl…You never let anyone say that…You said we had a second chance. I thought we were still—“

“Still, _what_ , Alenko?” Lt. Cmdr. Kora Reese snapped quickly as she turned to meet his gaze. “You basically accused me of cheating on you when _you_ are the one who walked away from me. You never even told me _why_ you never tried to find me again after you left. Then suddenly because our paths just happen to cross because of our assignments you decide to expend some effort on me.”

Kaidan was quiet for a moment while he gathered his thoughts. Even as he attempted to control his swirling emotions, he knew his voice sounded harder than he intended. “You were involved with a good friend of mine. How was I supposed to take it?”

“How was I supposed to take having the man who…well, meant a lot to me walk away without so much as letting me have a say?” the dark-haired woman replied as she felt her temper flaring even more. They had talked in the hospital after the lack of real responses from her to his emails, but then he had brought up Michael…

“EDI, hold the elevator,” Kaidan said more calmly than he felt. This wasn’t how it was going to end for them. Not if he could help it.

The car stopped as the second human Specter stalked towards the Chief Operations Officer of the _Normandy_ SR2. “You know what happened after the first _Normandy_ went down and Shepard died. You know I could have saved him. You saw what that did to me. What it was doing to us. I wasn’t fit to be around anyone especially you. I didn’t want to hurt you like I did Rahna, so I left.”

“That’s just it, _sir_. You _did_ hurt me. But you know that now. You didn’t let me help you and you made it abundantly clear you didn’t want me around. What I don’t know is why.” Reese replied flatly. She could see the hurt in his eyes her words were causing him, but she needed to get it out while she still had the courage. “I met Michael and he was there for me. He needed me and I needed him. When he left with Cerberus and Shepard at least he told me why he was doing it and that he would come back if he could…”

Alenko was silent as he stood over the shorter woman who’s grey eyes had captivated him so long ago. He had fallen so head over heels for the woman that he had broken fraternizations regs and began a tumultuous relationship with the tech. But he had screwed that up just like he had his chance with Rahna…

Reese brought out the side of him he had thought long dead after Jump Zero. He had felt truly alive again, truly human and knew exactly what they were fighting for. It was almost as if all those old westerns where the cowboy gets the girl in the end were real. But then the Collectors had destroyed the _Normandy_ and his first real home since leaving Earth. It had changed him, and he didn’t like it, didn’t know how to deal with it. But 3 years later and a special project drawn up by Ad. Anderson had helped put things in perspective. He now knew how badly he had made a mess of things and how very badly he wanted to make things right.

Reese had met Michael Westmore on one of the special projects Anderson had assigned her to and soon after she had started some advanced training. Kaidan wasn’t even certain what it was. But he had been adamant aboard the first _Normandy_ that she receive extra weapons and combat training since she would be joining ground teams. She had eventually and even started receiving field medical training from Dr. Chakwas. But Kaidan wasn’t sure why he had never gone to her during those three years especially after Michael had died on the O4 relay mission. Whether it was because she had been involved with one of his friends from brain camp or because she was really genuinely happy, it didn’t matter. He hadn’t done right by her and now she stood in front of him, angry and hurt. Sure, her words had hurt him too, but he knew he deserved it. They had begun a relationship again without truly facing events of three years ago and _this_ was the result.

“Reese, I know I screwed up, but I want to try and make up for that. I've already said that, and you said you could trust me again. I know you want…an ‘us’ again and maybe I don’t deserve a second chance and you have every reason to hate me-“

“Damn straight I do, **_Major_**...”

Kaidan’s temper flared when she once again addressed him with his rank instead of his name. He took one step forward to box her into the corner of the elevator. “I have a name. It’s _Kaidan_ , remember?”

“I remember,” she replied looking up at him defiantly.

“Then use it,” he said as his tone dropped ever so slightly. He was mere centimeters from her now.

“Is that an order?” she asked feeling his breath hot on her neck.

“No. It’s a request, Lt. Cmdr.” he answered in a throaty voice. His whiskey colored eyes full of yearning and regret.

“I—" Reese began unsure what to say. She knew he was sincere and that she desperately wanted to continue the relationship they had begun before the Reaper invasion. Could she just let go of her temper for one damned minute?

Her resolve vanished as she closed her eyes and said softly, “Kaid.”

Suddenly she felt familiar lips crushing into hers as an equally familiar warm body pinned her to the elevator wall. Strong hands and fingers intertwined with hers to rest gently but firmly above her head against the metal plating. His tongue begged entrance into her mouth which she gave without a second thought. He pushed against her legs with his left knee. As she parted them he hoisted her up against the wall to rest on his leg.

Reese had lost any notion of what the right thing to do was as soon as she had looked into his eyes. No matter how controlled he was or appeared, his eyes always told what the L2 biotic was really feeling. That had been one of the first things that had attracted her to him, and it still held true. She still wanted him, needed him. But she needed to understand…

Seeming to sense her conflicting emotions, Kaidan let her hands down and moved them around his neck. Pulling her tighter to his chest, he began kissing his way down to the collar of her uniform. She moaned at the change and ran a hand through his dark hair. She brushed gently over where his implant was and hesitated. He had almost died…

None of it was important anymore. Living was. Being with Kaidan again was. Taking the chance they were given was.

“Kori, pleeeease,” the Major breathed into her shoulder.

It was a plea. One she knew she could either accept or deny. But she wanted it too.

Gently she brought his face up to hers again and kissed him hard. He tangled his fingers in her hair urgently wanting to free the long dark locks from the coiled braid they were in. As the tresses fell loosely around her shoulders, a chime sounded.

“Pardon me, Major and Lt. Cmdr. but the elevator is being summoned to the engineering deck,” EDI announced over the comm.

Alenko pulled away reluctantly as he said, “Okay, EDI. Thanks for the warning.”

“Of course, Major,” the AI replied as the car started moving again.

He let the other biotic down as she tried to make her hair presentable. Kaidan smiled at her with his lop-sided grin. “I kind of like it like that.”

“You always did,” she said softly as a blush came over her. He had always like playing with her hair especially after they had been intimate.

“I can’t help it. I have a thing for long hair…” he said as he brushed some loose strains out of her face. “But I think we should talk…”

“I know a place on the engineering deck actually,” she offered as she smoothed out his uniform shirt.

“Really?”

“Yeah,” she replied as the chime sounded their arrival at the desired floor. “Just act like we’re supposed to be here.”

The Specter rolled his eyes and chuckled as the doors opened to reveal Engineers Donnelly and Daniels. The duo quickly saluted as the senior officers exited the car. Kaidan nodded at them as Reese said, “Getting off shift?”

“Yes, ma’am,” Gabby replied as she eyed them.

“We were just going to grab a drink with some of the others. Would you care to join us?” Ken offered as Daniels elbowed him.

“Ken, I think they already have plans,” she observed with a knowing glance.

Reese looked at her with a small grin as she nodded. Kaidan simply said, “Cmdr. Reese was going to show off the new _Normandy_ to me since I slept through the completion of the retrofits.”

“Oh, well make sure to show him the modifications to the drive core and the new power couplings. There’s also the improved ESB-0984 fuel cell…” Donnelly said as Gabby pulled him into the waiting elevator.

“See you tomorrow, Commander. Major,” she said with a wink.

As the doors closed Ken asked, “What was that for?”

“Can’t you tell they have more important things to do than look at your stupid mods?”

“But Alenko said—"

“They are trying to get back together you, blind idiot!”

“That’s why Reese’s hair was down…”

Their voice faded as the doors closed and the elevator moved to the next deck. Kaidan turned to look at Reese. “Does _everyone_ know about us?”

“The members of the original crew do and now the new members will shortly,” Reese said with no sign of regret. “Most of the retrofit team does too. Sorry.”

He looked at her for a long moment and then observed, “You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?”

She smiled at him. “Of course I am. Things have changed but I still like to see you squirm.”

He got a thoughtful look on his face as she led him through the doors to engineering and down the steps to the subdeck. “I think I like to see you squirm too. Especially when you’re _under_ me.”

Reese stopped on the landing leading to the next sections of steps and looked up at the smirking sentinel. Disbelief evident on her face. “You did _not_ just say that.”

“Um, yes I did,” he said smugly stepping off the stairs to put his arms around her waist. “Things change like you said, and I hope that means I’ve changed for the better. I’m trying to prove that.”

She cocked her head. “You _have_ changed…You seem stronger, more confident.”

“Maybe I am,” he agreed as he brushed his knuckled lightly over her cheek. “But so are you. I can see it in how you carry yourself, how you talk to others, how you’re Shepard’s first officer now. People look to you now how you once looked to Shepard.”

“I’m _not_ Shepard…”

Kaidan replied with a mischievous grin. “That’s a good thing or this would never happen.”

She looked confused until he quickly kissed her. She sighed and then said as she continued down the steps, “Maybe we should go talk…There’s things we should get straight before other things happen.”

“Aw, I liked it when other things happened,” Kaidan said as he pinched her behind. “Especially in the Mako.”

Reese jumped at his forward behavior and then said, “I cannot believe you just did that. And don’t you ever tell anyone about the Mako.”

“I haven’t and I won’t. But I think I might have to do that again sometime,” he replied as he passed her on the steps, knowing that her anger had dissipated but she was right. They needed to talk.

“There aren’t any Makos aboard this time, Kaidan.”

“I know but that’s not what I was referring to…”

She narrowed her eyes and then said, “Don’t do that in front of the crew.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it, Lt. Cmdr.”

“Major, I think we should stick to the matter at hand,” she said with a smile as she led him over to ‘Jack’s hole’ as Shepard referred to it. Apparently the psycho L5 biotic had preferred it down there. Unexpectedly, Reese found herself agreeing with the former criminal. It was where she came to work on problems or to just be alone (usually when she had been thinking about Kaidan.)

“Okay, so where do we start?”

“I don’t know. The beginning?”

“This is going to take a while.”

“It’s okay. We have time…”

**_Two hours later…_ **

“Kaidan, I’m still not sure I understand,” Reese admitted after they had been talking for longer than she had anticipated.

“Which part?” Alenko asked uncomfortably from the wall he leaned against, his arms crossed.

“You cut me off so completely. _Why_? What did I do…” she trailed off as she pulled her knees up to her chin. She suddenly felt very confused and helpless.

Alenko studied her for a long moment. His departure from her life had left a very deep scar and he was asking her to reopen it. It was selfish on his part, but she seemed to want to try. He pushed off the wall and walked over towards the crate she was perched on. She followed his movements but said nothing.

“I was so convinced that I had screwed up like I had with Rahna after the _Normandy_ went down that I thought I would hurt you. So I convinced myself that leaving would prevent me from hurting you; that you were better off without me, no matter what the cost…to both of us,” he explained slowly as he stood in front of her. He made no motion to touch her or say anymore.

Reese looked up with those grey eyes he had missed for 3 years. She shifted her position on the crate but still kept her knees drawn up to her chin. “I tried to contact you. I even asked Ad. Anderson to pass along a message to you. He said you refused to even read it…A _year_ I tried but nothing…”

Kaidan lowered his gaze to look at the deck plating. It hurt to hear what she was saying but it needed to be said if there was any chance of a real reconciliation between them, not the half-truth they had been living since their union well over eight months ago. He remained silent as she continued, “I met Michael on a project Anderson had me on. He was my escort while I was trying to recover some suspected Reaper tech. We hit it off and stayed in contact…and then we got closer and well…you can basically infer the rest.”

The sentinel nodded as he mulled over what she had said. Finally he asked, “How can you still be willing to try this again? With me?”

The tech looked up at him with a small smile. “The way I feel for you never changed. I just thought you were being an ass…”

“I think I’ve been told that before by a tech that I fell for,” he replied with half a grin. Chancing that he wasn’t over stepping his place, Kaidan brushed his fingertips lightly across her cheek. “I still need you if you’ll have me…”

“Kaidan, you don’t know how much I want that…but there’s still so much—:

“Can we work through it?” he asked with hope and yearning in his whiskey colored eyes. “Really work through it this time? Not skipping over the ugly parts this time?”

Reese finally lowered her legs to look at him unobstructed. “Yes.”

Her simple answer gave him more hope and peace than he had felt in a long time. He cupped her cheek and leaned in to kiss her gently. Reese responded by pulling on his uniform shirt and deepened the kiss, surprising him. At first he resisted but her other hand ran through his dark hair, calming him. His own hands went to clasp her shoulders, pulling her closer to him. Reese responded by moving to sit on her knees, elevating her to his height.

Kaidan finally pulled her into a full embrace and rested his head in the crook of her neck. He murmured into her shoulder, “I’m sorry. It doesn’t make up for it…I’m so sorry, Kora.”

She winced at the use of her real name. He only used it when he was like this or he had a killer migraine. Usually it was Reese or his nickname for her—Kori. She responded by moving her hand to the base of his neck and began massaging the muscles there. She was mindful of his implant still not sure how healed he was. He would never let her know if it bothered him. Or at least the old Kaidan wouldn’t have…

Alenko sighed in contentment as she continued to use her nimble fingers to communicate her understanding. His forehead still resting on her shoulder, he whispered, “I’m okay, Kori. Even with what could have happened, I just have headaches still…I’m _not_ broken.”

Reese smiled as she turned to kiss his temple. “I know. I just worry about you…After Mars, I—"

He looked back at her with a weak smile. “I’m alright. I know what I’ve done to you…I never thought…Damn it, it’s because I _didn’t_ think—"

She cut him off with a quick kiss. “ _Don’t_ , Alenko. Just don’t. I could have tried harder to see you, to talk to you. We both could have done more…”

“ _Kori_ ,” he said pulling back a little, frowning as he moved.

She shook her head with a small smile. “Maybe _you_ could have done more than me, but we’re here now. _Together_. We have a second chance if we are willing to take it…”

“I want that, Kori, more than anything. But—"

“I’m right here, Kaidan, and I’m not going anywhere. Are you?”

He looked at her. “No. Never again. I swear.”

“Then that’s good enough for now, techboy,” she replied as he grinned at the use of her nickname for him. Maybe they could work things out even with all that was going on. The Reapers be damned. He had a chance with Reese he thought he would never have again. He would fight for it and her, no matter what.

**_Thursday Nov. 9, 2186, SSV Normandy SR2, location: classified_ **

Lt. Cmdr. Reese glanced down at her terminal. The message stared back. It wouldn’t go anywhere until she told it to. Everyone else wasn’t immune to these kinds of messages. Why should she be any different?

The Ops Officer supposed that she had been so involved in her work that she had thought it _wouldn’t_ affect her. That somehow all the work she was doing on the _Normandy_ would negate anything like that happening. After all, it was everyone else that had experienced losses…

Pulling herself to her full height, the _Normandy's_ first officer switched the screen to a report on the simulations she had been running with EDI and Traynor on possibly countering or rewriting the sequence of Reaper code she had. The email remained opened waiting for her… _later._ Later Reese kept telling herself. She would deal with it later. Too much was happening for her to fall apart now…

_From: Alliance Command_

_To: Lt. Cmdr. K. Reese, SSV Normandy SR2_

_Subject: Request for information on Walker, Lukus and Autumn et al_

_We regret to inform you that no further information could be found concerning the civilians you inquired about. A copy of your request has been forwarded to the Alliance Department of Missing Personnel, Civilian Division. When any further information concerning the status of the individuals in question is available you will be informed._

~~~~~~~~~

“So word is, you and Kaidan had a heart to heart in engineering last night…” Joker commented as Reese stood behind him making notes on a data pad. EDI looked over at him from her station but said nothing.

“Lt., I assume you need your hands to fly the _Normandy_ and not your legs. Is that correct?” the Lt. Cmdr. replied as she continued to peck at the pad without looking up. Not really in the mood for the pilot’s attitude, especially after the email she had received earlier.

“Ummm, well technically yes, but I’m also kind a partial to being able to walk…” Joker answered as he looked up at the Ops Officer. “Why?”

“Because if you go around repeating things like that again I’ll break your legs. Understood, Mister Monroe?” she said with a smile in a sickeningly sweet tone.

“Yes, ma’am,” the pilot said turning his attention back to the flight controls. “But Shepard might have something to say about you breaking his pilot.”

“If the Lt. Cmdr. had a good enough reason I might not say anything about it, especially if you’re just trying to antagonize her,” the N7 interjected as he and Alenko approached the cockpit.

Joker glanced over his shoulder at the approaching duo and smirked. “You are no fun sometimes, Commander.”

“Scuttlebutt is one thing, Joker, but prying into other people’s affairs is something different,” Shepard replied as Kaidan winked at Reese.

The Ops Officer smiled slightly (all she could manage at that moment) as the ace pilot said, “You know I didn’t mean anything by it.”

“Jeff is correct. 98% of the time comments made in such a manner indicate he is concerned for a friend and are not disrespectful,” EDI observed as she watched the interaction between the group. Everyone knew she was attempting to have a meaningful relationship with the pilot. In an oddly sweet way it only seemed natural.

“We know, EDI, but some things you just don’t do,” Shepard explained as the AI’s default tutor in humanity.

Reese nodded her agreement as she handed the Commander the report summary for the last shift. He looked it over and said, “I guess this means you’re leaving it to me now?”

“Well, my duty shift is over…” she replied with a shrug.

Shepard threw a knowing glance at his friend and said, “You two have fun then.”

Reese rolled her eyes as Kaidan finally said, “We will.”

“ _Kaidan_ ,” she said in a warning tone as he moved to walk beside her. Her mood while a little better because of his presence did not mean she was automatically ready for teasing.

“What?” he replied innocently as Joker laughed.

“You…you enjoyed that,” she noted as they walked through the CIC to the elevator.

“Maybe I did. You said you liked to see me squirm. Maybe I like to see you do it too,” Alenko said with a cheeky grin.

She remained silent until they entered the elevator. “You, Major, are a bad, bad man.”

After the doors had closed, the Specter pushed her against the wall and bent down possessively over her. “So I’ve been told.”

The Lt. Cmdr. looked up at him and smiled despite herself. “You _are_ enjoying this.”

“Hmmm, yeah, but I think there maybe something I’d enjoy more,” he replied as he lowered his head and kissed her tenderly.

Reese sighed into the kiss as he brushed his fingers ever so lightly over her cheek and jaw. Kaidan responded by pulling her closer to him. “We need to stop doing this in the elevator.”

She found herself giggling as she thought he knew what to do even when she hadn’t said anything to him. She finally let herself welcome the distraction as she offered, “You’re bunked in starboard observation…but I do have my own quarters. They’re not very big but it’s away from the crew…and Joker.”

“Your own quarters? You didn’t say anything about that last night…” he replied as he pulled away from her a little confused.

“Don’t take this the wrong way, but I wanted to be sure about us before I invited you in,” she explained looking at his chest instead of his face. She suddenly felt as if she had said the wrong thing. She needed him now more than ever. But she hadn’t told him anything. So how was he supposed to know that?

She pulled away further as the elevator doors opened onto the crew deck. Reese exited the car as Kaidan stood and stared at her. “Are you getting off?”

Alenko did but said nothing. She frowned and asked, “Are you okay?”

He hesitated and then nodded slowly. “Yeah, I think so.”

“Kaidan, try to look at this from my perspective okay? I needed to be sure. After talking things through with you last night there is still a lot to be said but I heard what I needed to hear for now.”

“Which was?” he asked hurt evident in his voice.

“You still need me…” she replied quietly, meaning it with her whole heart.

“I’ll _always_ need you.” And that was enough for the _Normandy’s_ first officer.

She smiled and said then “I always be there.”


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ****This chapter contains smut. Two instances of smut actually. From here on out I'll try to mark chapters that contain it and approximately where is occurs in the chapter if that isn't your thing. BTW, this is always consensual between any characters I write--in this case Kaidan and Kori. 
> 
> @@@Towards the end of the first section@@@  
> @@@The flashback scene in the Mako@@@

**_Saturday, Nov. 11, 2186, SSV Normandy SR-2, Boltzmann System, Serpent Nebula_ **

It was night aboard the _Normandy_. The ship had left port at the Citadel earlier to take on their next assignment from Hackett. During the last shift, a priority message had been sent to Alenko. Shortly after that he had retired to the starboard lounge, only telling Reese he would see her later but needed to be alone. Not knowing what else to do, she had left him alone. Thinking maybe things would be better in the morning.

Shepard had ventured into the lounge to talk to his long-lost best friend, but she knew nothing of the outcome. The Cmdr. had not offered to share what had been said nor had she felt it okay to ask. When Kaidan was ready to talk to her again he would.

Having completed the self-assigned extra work, Reese decided bed sounded good. She looked around her quarters and realized she needed to clean the small space badly. Yawning she decided it could wait until after her next duty shift was over. If Kaidan saw it, he would lecture her while he started cleaning the small space for her.

Reese found herself grinning as she randomly thought of the Major. The few times he had known she was facing a rough patch on Earth, he had sent her random texts. He did it more than just when she was grumpy or doubting, but at especially when she was in one of those moods. Maybe it would help him too?

Opening her omni tool she typed out a quick message, just a random thought. Maybe it would help him realize he wasn’t alone.

_‘The truth? I like you. A lot. You make me happy. You’re smart. You’re different. You’re a little crazy and awkward, and your smile alone can make my day.’_

She sighed and flopped down on the bed. Closing her eyes the tech listened the barely audible sound of the engines. If she hadn’t been assigned to oversee the retrofit project, she probably wouldn’t have known the sound even existed. Maybe spending all that time with Tali on those Geth/Reaper tech missions was causing her to pick up some Quarian habits. Whatever the cause, she found it comforting and usually fell asleep to the hum when slumber eluded her.

Without knowing how long she lay there; the Lt. Cmdr. was just about to drift off when she heard a knock at her door. She opened her eyes, unsure if she was actually hearing what she thought she was. Surely, no one else was actually awake at this time…

But there it was again. A zillion things went through her mind at once. The possibility of a disaster having occurred. Someone needing her immediate help. A part of the _Normandy_ malfunctioning. But then why wouldn’t EDI have notified her over the comm?

Kaidan’s face suddenly flashed before her eyes. _What if…_

Then she was up and bounding across the room to the door. She held her hand over the pad and waited anxiously for it to open. On the other side…Kaidan appeared.

"Kaidan? Is something wrong? What happened?" She could hear the panic in her voice, though it wasn't overwhelming by any means.

"I…no. Not exactly. I just…" He sounded a bit confused, but his eyes glanced downward for a moment and lingered before he quickly glanced back up.

She realized she was in nothing but the tank top and boxers she usually slept in and felt a blush bloom upon her cheeks. He had seen her in them before but not in the doorway to her quarters in full view of any passing crewmember. "What? Kaidan, are you alright?"

"Um, yeah. No…"

"Kaidan, what’s up?” she tried again not sure exactly what to say. Even well past midnight he was still in his uniform, his hair disheveled. He still looked confused, but she noted he was also slightly worried as well. “You don’t look like you’ve slept… _at all_."

He gave her a half-hearted grin. “I haven’t been. Too much going on upstairs.”

“I—come in,” Reese said moving aside for him, not really caring if anyone saw him enter her quarters or not. They were together weren’t they?

He moved inside and went over to her small couch, sitting himself down. He definitely looked tired, she noted as she found a glass and poured him some water from her small sink. She walked over to the couch, handing it to him before she sat down a little bit away from him. Remembering she was still in her sleep clothes, she decided she didn’t care about that either at the moment.

"What are you doing awake right now, anyways?" Kaidan asked, trying to deflect her interest from his troubles.

"I wasn't…exactly."

"Come on, Reese. It didn't take you long to answer the door. And…" He sighed, his hazel eyes unfocused.

"And _what_ , Kaidan?” Reese asked biting her lip, trying to figure out what was bothering him so much.

“And you sent me that text a little while ago,” he added after a pause as he glance over at her. “I thought maybe you—"

Kaidan shook his head as she still looked at him expectantly. He was hesitating, not wanting to answer the question which wasn’t really like him. Reese noticed how very interesting he found the glass of water she had given him which he had yet to take a drink from.

Finally he sighed warily still not meeting her gaze. "Honestly, I haven't been sleeping well for a while."

The Lt. Cmdr. leaned forward and took his glass. "You aren’t the only one."

He looked up-- _finally_. "You don't sleep much either, then?"

"Nope. There's just…so much to worry about. The Reapers, Earth, the crew. Finding all the resources for the Crucible. Keeping things straight for Shepard so he doesn’t have to worry about the small things. Reverse engineering Reaper tech and code. Trying to find a weakness…It could all be gone tomorrow. It's daunting—no, _frightening_ to think about. I just--it keeps me awake most nights…And I haven’t heard from my grandparents since you were released from the hospital…” she explained. She trailed off and then refocused. “What's _your_ excuse?"

"Migraines have been unbearable lately. I'm not as sure about this Specter thing as I thought either…Udina..."

Reese frowned as she reached for his hand. "It's not your job to be worried for everyone, Kaidan. And yes, Udina sponsored you for the Specter position. But the other Council members agreed to grant you that status and they weren’t in on the coup. You deserve this. You’ve _earned_ it."

"I just feel like everyone is depending on me. _Us_. If we lose everything--" He sighed, looking down, but not without squeezing the hand holding his. She could tell he was feeling especially vulnerable at that moment. Had something happened?

"Hey, hey, don't worry." She moved over and put her other hand on his cheek, turning his head to look at her. "If I know you, and I do, you'll figure your way through this because you always do. You are a good soldier. You’ll make the right calls when the time comes."

Kaidan breathed in slowly, gazing into her grey eyes in the darkness, remembering how she had said she needed to be sure. She had been afraid that their second chance wasn’t real. She was much more afraid than people realized; then _he_ realized. And here she was again, trying to back him up and be his strength even though he had hurt her. A minute later, he took his hand away, remembering himself. They were on the _Normandy_ now not Earth. They had promised each other to work through things, even the ugly. That still hadn’t been done. Maybe now wasn’t the time…

"Sorry. I…sorry." He looked down again, clearing his throat and disengaging himself from her.

"No, there’s nothing to be sorry for, Kaidan. Not this time,” she reassured him. She took a breath as she quietly added, “I guess I’m just like you. Too much to think about and…I’m scared too…”

He was gazing intensely at her then, his jaw hanging slightly open, his eyes reflecting a bit of bewilderment, she supposed. It almost looked like there were tears in his eyes.

"I was just scared,” she repeated in a lower tone.

"Of what?" He uttered his voice low and soft.

"Of getting my heart broken…of losing you again." She replied delicately, her own voice full of emotion. “After Mars, I—"

He reached out for her cheek, his eyes moist and full in the darkness, "Kori, you say the word…and I'll never leave. Just like I promised on Earth. I’m yours if you’ll have me.”

"Kaidan…" She managed to breathe out just before his lips crushed against hers.

He was pulling her closer to him as they kissed, their lips moving slowly at first, and then gradually more desperately. It had been so long; Reese had forgotten the levels of passion he could wake in her. Memories of their first time together three years ago flooded her mind. The kisses on Earth, the cuddling on the couch, the snuggling in bed paled in comparison to what she genuinely wanted. She touched his face, loving the rough feeling that hadn't been there before, the makings of a beard growing on the Major’s face. In response, Kaidan ran his hands through her long dark hair, loving the way it tangled in his fingers. Her skin burned at his touch when he slipped his hand under her tank top and traced the lines of her back. She parted her lips and allowed him to slip his tongue inside, dancing with her own as the fire between them was stoked.

She could barely control her hands. She had to touch him, to remember what he felt like. He was wearing his uniform still even though it was disheveled, but it was more than in the way. She started pulling his shirt up and over his head, and then he hurriedly finished for her, pulling apart for a brief yet teasingly long second. She immediately let her hands fall upon his bare chest, roaming across his well-toned muscles and tracing the sparsely spread dark hair down to where it disappeared into his waistband. He seemed to enjoy her touch, because he breathed deeply between kisses and seeming to sigh in appreciation. She leaned into him more, wanting to feel his body against hers again.

"Kori…" He whispered his eyes half-closed with desire.

She kissed his neck so he could speak, refusing to be separated from his warmth.

“Kori, I want—We haven’t talked about this…”

“We talked about it. Just not seriously,” she corrected between nibbled on his neck.

“Kori,” the Major scolded as he gently pushed her back a little. “I’m serious. This isn’t why I came here—”

Reese locked her gaze with his. Giving him a reassuring grin, she replied, “I am serious. And if I didn’t want you here and if I didn’t want this, it wouldn’t happen. Remember you can’t make me do anything I don’t want to?”

“I can’t push you into anything you don’t want to do,” he said with a half grin.

She nodded. “Yeah. Just a wall…”

“How about a mattress instead?” he teased as he kissed her again. She made a noise of agreement as she added, “Then you need to take off this shirt."

Of course, she thought. Reese leaned back away from him and grasped the material of her tank to raise it over her head. She immediately felt Kaidan's hands cup her breasts before she'd completely gotten it off, and she couldn't help pushing her chest outward in response. She dropped the shirt behind her, not caring where it landed in the slightest. His grip was soft, squeezing ever so slightly, appreciating the suppleness of her. She was toned, more than capable of taking care of herself in a fight. She had never thought of herself as being particularly feminine. That didn’t matter to Kaidan though. It hadn’t on the SR-1 and still was true in that moment as he paid attention to _all_ of her.

He pulled her back to him and kissed her again. Reese let him take the lead, simply relishing the act of loving him again. Kaidan then leaned forward and seized one of her nipples in his mouth, licking tenderly so that she gasped, her breathing quickening. He cautiously nipped at her, causing her to throw her head back in surprise. She remembered him trying this before during their first time but with an air of nervousness. She guessed before they both had still been pretty anxious about breaking protocol and had just needed to be together before something happened.

Kaidan pulled away, his expression intense with longing as he took her in. He reached for her legs and pulled her on top of his lap so that she could actually feel the hardness beneath his clothing. His hands ran up the length of her thighs, grinning at her shivers he caused. Abruptly, he rose, bringing her up with him. Continuing to smile at her surprise, the Major kissed her as he carried her across the room towards her bed. He laid her down and settled above her, kissing her neck as she let her head sink into the pillow. She grabbed at his back, feeling his muscles ripple as he moved nimbly. She couldn't believe she'd been missing this for so long. How she had resisted the whole time on Earth, she had no idea.

Kaidan looked up at her and smiled again, kissing her once before glancing at her boxers. He found the band coiled tightly around her waist and then started to pull it down, waiting for her to raise her hips so he could slip them all the way off. She kicked them off as Kaidan moved back to pull at her underwear. He removed them in the same manner, though more slowly, as if appreciating the view of her long legs this time. He kissed her stomach then as he returned to her lips. Distracted by his lips, Reese moaned as his hand subtly found her folds, warm and slick, inviting him. He worked his fingers, moving gently until she indicated he'd found the right spot by letting out a timid moan into his lips. She closed her eyes as the tension built within her. Her mind flashed on the fact it was only his fingers so far but swore she could feel Kaidan's smile as he kissed her.

A few minutes later and Reese couldn't contain her pleasure any longer. Kaidan felt her walls tense around his finger as she let out a lovely sigh, her voice trembling and her hips impatiently moving. He pulled his hand away and was answered with a yearning whimper. Reese opened her eyes to catch Kaidan devilishly grinning at her, but she ignored him and went straight for his own pants, pulling them down. She was a bit clumsy in her current state as Kaidan chuckled. Reaching down, he helped to remove the remaining pieces of clothing. A sense of pride came over him as he realized just how much she enjoyed catching sight of his member, erect and twitching. The Major met her gaze as he positioned himself between her legs, skillfully entering, making her pull him closer to her chest so that their bodies molded together as he moved slowly within her, making it last.

She moved her head so that she could see him better, blinking slowly as she recognized the devotion in his gaze. Those whiskey eyes were dilated and intently focused on her, radiating affection and tenderness. She had never felt like she belonged to someone as much as she did then. She was his, completely. She could forget the rest of the universe and its expectations when she was with him. All he wanted was for her to be happy, to be safe and to believe in herself and what she could accomplish. She had guarded herself before out of fear, but now she was assured more than ever that he'd worked through his feelings and had come out knowing he cared her and that was all that mattered. And it was. It was all that mattered to her at that moment.

Ecstasy overtook them eventually. Kaidan's pace slowed as he neared his finish, and Reese arched her hips as elation overwhelmed her senses, taking away all the worries they'd had an hour ago. Her hands fell limp at her side as Kaidan let out a deep sigh, and then collapsed upon her, laying his head upon her shoulder as he panted slightly. They remained quiet for a few moments before Reese found the strength to hold him again. He turned his head and gazed at her again.

She smiled at him, happier than she'd felt in a long time. "I…I…Kaidan?"

He smiled in return and moved forward to kiss her again. "I missed you so much when I was in the hospital, Kora. I meant what I said. I’ll never leave you again, _ever_."

She looked at him, believing every word he said. There were still things that they needed to discuss, to help each other understand, but the one of the big hurdles had been crossed. “I want to be with you again more than anything, Kaidan. Everything we said, what we did on Earth…It matters. I want there to be an _us_ again.”

“Then that’s how it’ll be, sweetheart,” he replied moving a stray piece of hair behind her ear. “We’ve lost so much time and so many people. I don’t want to spend what time we have left without you. You’re the one I was meant to be with. I just wish I hadn’t…”

Reese took his hand and kissed the palm. “Then stay here with me tonight. We can figure out everything else as we go.”

“You mean proceed in breaking regulations regarding fraternization without a plan,” he said with a mischievous grin.

“Of course. When have you ever known me to follow orders to the letter. Besides with the Reapers around who cares who’s sleeping with whom,” she replied kissing him quickly.

“And you said I was bad…” Alenko said as they settled back down to sleep. “And your smile can make my day too, Kori.”

Without knowing how much time they really had together, spending every possible opportunity together became just as important as mending the mistakes of the past. Second chances didn’t come often, and the two techs were determined to make it count this time around.

^^^^^^^

Several hours later Reese woke up to the constant hum of the engines and smiled. She wasn’t sure why though as she looked at the glowing clock. It was 0345. Still 3ish hours before she had to get up. She sighed then eyed the clothes that were flung about her small cabin.

_Oh…that’s why…_

The Lt. Cmdr. continued to grin as she turned over and saw Kaidan resting peacefully on his side, one arm shoved under her pillow, the other thrown above his head. She sighed again and decided to snuggle up to him while there was still time. Laying her head carefully on his shoulder, she spooned up to the sleeping biotic. She rested her left arm on his tan toned chest as she closed her eyes.

Kaidan responded by moving his arm from above his head to around her waist. She heard him take in a deep breath. “You smell good.”

She chuckled. “I did take a shower before you showed up last night.”

“No, you’ve always been like that. Even when we first met…” he mused sleepily.

“You’re such a dork. Do you normally go around smelling the women you work with on a new assignment, Major?” she asked amused.

“I don’t usually make it a habit, but you have always _intrigued_ me, Lt. Cmdr.,” he replied as he nuzzled her hair with his nose.

“Intrigued? Am I a science project?” she purred as he began rubbing her back.

“No. You’re my girl…” he answered letting the statement hang in the air as he pulled her closer to him.

“Your girl?” she echoed looking up at him with a surprised expression. He had called her that a couple of times since they had agreed to start dating on Earth.

“Yeah. My girl,” Kaidan reaffirmed as he kissed her on the forehead.

“I like that,” Reese murmured as she snuggled up to the Specter again, waiting for sleep to overtake them again until the next duty shift.

**_Wednesday, Nov. 15, 2186, SSV Normandy, near Gellix, Arrae System, Minos Wastelands_ **

The next few days the Lt. Cmdr. and Major collaborated on several projects that completed the upgrades to the _Normandy_ but also on some enhanced intelligence gathering programs Hackett had requested. All was normal between them while on shift. That didn’t carry over to their time after shift. Kaidan seemed distance when they were alone. He hadn’t come back to her cabin and almost seemed to go to great lengths to make sure they had to spend time in the observation lounge rather than her cabin. Reese let it slid for a few days waiting for him to tell her what was going on. After the night they shared, she thought maybe he would confide in her, but he hadn’t and that confused and worried her.

Something about why he had really come to her cabin that night was still bothering him, and he refused to tell her. They were together again but he still wouldn’t tell her everything…

The Operations Officer found herself wandering the engineering deck wondering how to confront him about it without making him mad. Shepard wouldn’t even tell her anything except that Alenko would tell her when he was ready. She looked out the window overlooking the cargo bay. There were two shuttles docked there. No Hammerheads, no Makos…

She smiled as she remembered there first time together. It had been after a mission she’d been assigned to handle extra tech duties and she had been injured on Kaidan’s watch. He had taken it personally and had scolded her repeatedly even though it hadn’t been life threatening. The Mako had taken damage and he had told her she would have to help him repair it as a lesson not to do things without thinking. The lesson had turned into something completely different…

^^^^^

**_2183, SSV Normandy SR1, location: classified_ **

_“Lt., with all due respect to you, what is it that you hope to accomplish with this little exercise in self-discipline?” Reese asked as she dropped into the front passenger seat of the Mako._

_Alenko stared at her calmly from the back seat with his Omni-tool out. “You could learn some patience. Not everything has to be solved in a split-second impulsive decision.”_

_“Yes, but some things do need to be solved like that and I happen to be good at that,” she replied as she looked over the virtual interface of the Mako. He had insisted that he needed help recalibrating the computer after Shepard’s last jaunt out. She thought it was just an excuse, but for what she wasn’t sure. Yes, she was impulsive, but Admiral Anderson had known that when he requested that she remain aboard the Normandy._

_He sighed and shook his head. “You need to be more careful. One day your impulsive solutions are going to get someone killed, maybe even_ you _.”_

_She frowned at him. The tone of his voice when he had said ‘you.’ It was the only glimmer of emotion she had seen out of him except his annoyance at her. “Alenko, are you_ **worried** _about me?”_

_“No—I—Why would you even ask that?” Kaidan said as his eyes betrayed the storm of emotions he was actually feeling. He looked away from her back to his Omni-tool._

_The feelings of annoyance and aggravation faded as she realized he_ **was** _worried about her. She turned around in the seat and looked directly at the L2 biotic. “Umm, Lt.—Kaidan, I didn’t mean to make you worry. I’m sorry.”_

_He shook his head. “You have no idea what the decisions you make can do to someone else. You don’t seem to think they affect anyone but yourself. But they do. You’re a good officer, a fantastic tech. You are needed on the_ Normandy _. You have people that care about you here. I thought you knew that.”_

_That was the just about the most she had ever heard him say at one time. Did he really care about her that much? Sure she thought that maybe they had gotten closer aver the past few months, friends even. They were on a first name basis off-shift, they had discovered they had things in common, he was training her to use her biotics better but…But the emotion in his voice and the look in his whiskey colored eyes seemed to indicate a whole new level to it. A level she had never dared hope the by-the-book Lt. would ever entertain. She was an impulsive wreck. She made to effort to hide that but…_

_Feeling a little brave, she reached over and turned off his Omni-tool. He looked at her in surprise as she said, “You could have fixed all this by yourself in less than 10 minutes and so far I fail to see the lessen I’m supposed to learn from it. So why did you really want to be in the Mako with me…_ alone _?”_

_“I—I don’t know what you mean, Lt.” Alenko stuttered as he once again averted his eyes to look at the Mako’s computer. His use of her rank instead of her name demonstrated his desire to keep things professional but the waver in his voice hinted at his inner struggle._

_She moved her hand from his Omni-tool to his chin. Chancing that he wouldn’t reprimand her for inappropriate contact, she kept it there. Now forced to look at her he stared into her grey eyes. He had often found himself sneaking glances at her, admiring her. A few times he knew he had been caught staring at her eyes. They were mesmerizing to him, soothing. Now they wanted answers, answers he wasn’t sure he really understood himself. What he felt for her was against regs…_

_“Kaidan?” she whispered his first name like it was a forbidden word. It undid him and his careful control evaporated into nothing._

_Suddenly he reached out and grasped her wrist, pulling her from the front seat into the back with him. He carefully traced her jaw before he finally brought their lips together in a long overdue kiss She felt his tongue trace her lips tentatively as she opened her mouth allowing their tongues to meet in a slow passionate duel._

_He broke the kiss as he used a biotic pull to close the hatch of the Mako._

_Where was the shy, reserved lieutenant she had come to know? That man that always held back and left himself a way out, never taking any action to cross the line between friend and lover. But this was different from anything she could have imaged. The way Kaidan was taking charge was arousing and awakening something deep down inside her._

_He gently pulled her against him to place her in his lap as his lips began descending down her neck. She sighed in contentment as her fingers made short work of pulling his shirt out of his pants and swiftly running her hands underneath it._

_He moved his mouth to her jaw as his hands were suddenly under her shirt grazing her skin. Reese couldn't stop the goose bumps that rose on her flesh as he made his way up her ribs. He pulled his head back and lifted her shirt over her head discarding it on the floorboard. His followed immediately after, creating a new sensation as their skin rubbed against one another’s._

_He slid his hands around her as he unhooked her bra, slowly letting the straps fall down and off her shoulders. His lips followed an invisible path across her collar bone causing her breath to pick up. She could feel her growing desire and quickly reached for his belt buckle needing him now._

_Just before she opened the buckle he reached down grabbing both of her wrists and placing them above her head. She tried to bring them down, but he grasped them with one hand and held firm._

_He paused looking at her questioningly. “Reese, I…I want this but—”_

_“I want it to,” she admitted quietly. “Please, Kaidan.”_

_Kaidan nodded as his other hand tenderly ran up her side cupping one of her breasts. His fingers began playing with her nipple causing her to groan in his mouth. She tried again to move her hands and felt him press his body closer to hers. Reese bucked her hips towards him and whimpered in frustration. She wanted to touch him and feel his hard body underneath her fingertips. He broke their kiss to move his lips down her throat to her shoulders and finally covering her nipple in the warm wet heat of his mouth. Reese let her head roll back against the back of the front seats as she let out a ragged moan._

_God he was good. She had only let herself imagine this on the loneliest of night in her dreams. But this, this was something entirely different and every nerve in her body was beginning to feel like it was on fire._

_As his heated mouth continued his work on her breasts Reese could feel her self-control weakening and her knees started to give out. Before she could slide down too far Kaidan released her hands and wrapped his arms around to cup her backside. With her new found freedom she quickly wrapped her arms around his shoulders bringing her lips down on top of his. She hooked her legs around him tighter as he squeezed her behind._

_He gently moved her to lie down across the back seat of the Mako and straddled her looking down at her with desire. Leaning forward he braced himself on his forearms as he began kissing her jaw. Reese let her head fall back granting him better access as he made his way down her chest._

_She couldn't stop the groan of disappointment that left her lips when she felt him sit up. He reached down and took her boots off leisurely letting his hands run up her legs until they reached her belt. She smiled as he undid the buckle and slowly shimmied her pants off. He kicked his own boots off and took his pants off before crawling back up her body. His fingers traced her cheek as he stared down at her with a look she couldn't quite place._

_"Are you okay?" she asked when he made no further attempt to continue._

_He nodded as almost shyly, "Umm, yeah I just…You’re beautiful."_

_She smiled at him and reached up one of her hands running her fingers through his hair. "Come here," She whispered guiding his lips back to hers, ignoring her own bashfulness._

_Reese ran her hands down his chest and down his abs where her fingers went into the waistband of his briefs. Kaidan let out a shaky groan as she found the firm erection she had been searching for. He rocked his hips forward as she gently began to stroke him._

_His breath stuttered, "Reese, wait," he whispered in her ear and gently removed her hand from his briefs._

_He began kissing her down her chest until he reached the flat plains of her abs where he gently traced her hips before hooking his thumbs in her underwear. He slowly dragged her underwear off and dropped them off the side of the seat. He let his fingers trace around her belly button and drift lower until they reached where she desired him most. He slowly slid a finger inside her wet folds causing her to arch up her back and let out a soft whimper._

_"Kaidan" she whispered softly as she grasped the seat restraints trying to maintain in control._

_She bit her lip and jerked when his lips kissed her bundle of nerves. She felt his warm tongue roll against her core and involuntarily began bucking her hips. Kaidan reached out and firmly pushed her hip down locking her into the position he wanted her in. Her breathing began to catch as his tongue and lips played with the most delicate part of her._

_"Kaidan," She breathed out, "God I need you." She said reaching her hands for him._

_"_ Please _," she gasped out as he pushed a second finger into her. She was becoming wanton and anxious as he worked his fingers inside her. Her eyes shot open and she grasped his forearm._

_"Damn it, Alenko! I want you right now!" She said between her clenched teeth._

_Kaidan gave her center one last flick of his tongue and slowly began kissing his way up her body. “Impatient just like I said.”_

_He stripped off his boxers and settled back between her open thighs. He covered her mouth with his cutting off her response as he finally slid halfway into her. She let out a soft moan as he gradually pulled out a little before pushing back into her with added force. Reese's head fell back, and her mouth opened in a soundless cry as he finally seated himself completely within her._

_As he began a slow pace he captured her mouth as they swallowed each other's cries of pleasure. Her arms wrapped around his muscled shoulders digging her fingers into his back. He groaned into her neck as she raised her hips up eagerly meeting his thrusts again and again._

_Reese roughly bit his shoulder making him grunt and pick up speed. She placed her hands over her head pressing into the side of the Mako’s cabin to stop sliding up from his force. Together, they created a rhythm that had her writhing and moaning in pleasure. She could feel the fire burning in her stomach as it began to tighten._

_She was vaguely aware of their panting and gasping as she finally raked her nails across his back crying out as she fell over the edge. She felt her toes curl over as the shockwaves racked through her entire body. Kaidan shortly followed growling out her name in the crook of her neck._

_They lay there for a while still connected, waiting for their hearts to slow down. Reese absently played with the hair at the nape of his neck as their breathing returned to normal. Kaidan brought himself up on his elbows as he lazily kissed her lips and jaw._

_After a moment, he rolled on his back pulling her into his side. Reese snuggled up against him as she smiled. She pressed her face into his neck. “I…didn’t know you could be like that.”_

_He snorted as he pulled her tighter against him and kissed the top of her head. “I can be, but at the_ appropriate _time.”_

_She rose up and looked into his whiskey colored eyes. She saw an essence of peace she hadn’t seen in him before. “Is that how I was supposed to learn my lesson? Was this the appreciate time and place? The back of the Mako?”_

_“Well, no not originally,” Kaidan admitted shyly as he ran his fingers lightly over her bare arm._

_She shivered beneath his feather light touch._

_She smiled at him and replied, “I…I don’t do things like this…When it happens it means something to me…”_

_Kaidan studied her for a moment and then admitted, “It means something to me too, but the regs…”_

_“I know,” she said lowering her eyes. “I won’t push you into anything—"_

_Suddenly his mouth crushed into hers again into a passionate kiss, his arms moving around her possessively. She didn’t resist him as he said, “Don’t ever think I don’t care about you, Kora.”_

_She pulled away at the use of her first name. No one had ever called her that during her tenure aboard the_ Normandy _, or since basic training. He looked at her confused by her actions. “What?”_

_“I…no one calls me that. I just prefer it if you didn’t…”_

_“Oh,” he said as he thought for a moment. He ran a hand through her hair and smiled. “How ‘bout ‘Kori’ instead?”_

_A grin came to her face as she nodded. “I think I like that.”_

_“Good,” he replied as he kissed her gently. “But we still have to serve together. The mission— “_

_“I know, Kaidan,” Reese said she marveled at his ability to separate the two halves: personal and professional. Granted, shagging like rabbits in the Mako wasn’t very professional…_

_“Umm, even though its late, we should probably get dressed and clean this up before someone gets nosy,” Reese suggested._

_“Ashley,” Kaidan breathed as he started handing her clothes._

_“Yeah, well, she does seem to like scuttlebutt, just like Joker…”_

_“I…we’ll deal with it,”_

_“Just don’t turn red every time someone says something….”_

_“I don’t…do I?”_

_She just smiled._

_“I do. Damn…”_

_“You’re cute when you turn red though.”_

_“Lt,” he said in a warning tone._

_“Yes, sir. Sorry sir,” she said as she quickly kissed him. He grinned in return as he shook his head. Things had just gotten more complicated for the shy L2 biotic._

^^^^^

**_Wednesday, Nov. 15, 2186, SSV Normandy, near Gellix, Arrae System, Minos Wastelands_ **

As the memory brought a smile to her lips, the Lt. Cmdr. couldn’t help but wonder what was still bothered the Major. She was more than a little hurt that he had not confided in her but sought out Shepard instead. Admittedly they still had things to work on. Maybe that was one of them?

Reese sighed and decided sleep sounded good. Walking to the elevator she debated whether or not she should track Kaidan down or let him be. She contemplated sending another quick note to him but thought better of it. She didn’t want to seem pushy. As the car moved to the next deck she decided to let him be. He hadn’t sought her out after the last duty shift, and she could use the time to herself anyway…

As the elevator opened onto the crew deck she took one last look at the starboard observation room and shook her head. _No_. Her decision stood. Leave him alone for the night and try to talk to him in the morning. Maybe she could at least find out _why_ he wouldn’t talk to her about whatever it was. But she was still willing to bet his visit to her quarters a few nights ago had something to do with it.

She made her way to her quarters and yawned as she keyed open the door. Maybe she was more tired that she had first thought. As the door slid shut behind her she started stripping out of her uniform, throwing the clothing onto a pile in a chair. Kaidan had always been the tidier of the two. That thought brought another smile to her face as she remembered his first comment about her housekeeping abilities. Shaking her head she suppressed another yawn. Sleep was definitely on the top of her list especially with the side assignment Shepard had taken from Hackett: getting into a Cerberus base to recover data and technology related to the Reapers.

Reese sighed and started to look around for her sleeping attire. When her eyes fell on her bed, she stopped dead in her tracks. Kaidan Alenko was seated on her bed with his head in his hands. She hadn’t actually expected him to use the door code she had given him, especially after the past few days. But his demeanor let her know he didn’t want to be alone. It wasn’t like him to just enter her cabin without letting her know…

Standing in nothing but her underwear, she looked around the bed and realized the Major was sitting on her sleep shirt. Gently she placed a hand on his shoulder and asked, “Kaidan?”

He nodded without looking at her and pulled the shirt out and handed it to her. Quickly she slipped the garment over her head and then looked at him again. It was almost like he had the beginnings of a migraine _and_ something was bothering him at the same time.

“EDI, can you lower the lights to 10% and keep them that way for a while?” she asked the AI.

“Of course, Lt. Cmdr.,” she replied as the lights dimmed.

“Thanks,” Reese replied as she reached into her side table drawer and pulled out the dose of migraine medicine especially for Kaidan. She had started keeping it again after their night together…just in case.

She sat down beside him on the bed and started massaging his neck like he had taught her, moving slowing up to his temples. His shoulders relaxed gradually but he still wouldn’t look at her or say anything. Finally she asked, “Do you want this?”

“I—I don’t want it. I need you to understand…” he murmured into his hands.

“Understand what, Kaidan?”

“That I didn’t mean to make you worry. That what’s going on with me isn’t because of you and has nothing to do with us,” he said finally looking at her. He wore a tired expression. Whatever he was going through, he wanted to do it alone, even though the emotional toll seemed high.

“But I _am_ worried. To see you like this after we agreed to try and start over, what am I supposed to think? I just want to help you, be there for you,” she replied as she ran hand gently through his short black hair. She once again couldn’t help but notice the grey that was starting to creep in.

“Kori, I’ll tell you, but I need to…just give me a little while longer. Please?” Alenko asked almost pleadingly. “You have so much that’s you’re doing now. I don’t want to be a burden.”

“My relationship with you and my feelings for you are _not_ a burden. You’ve made my life better since you came back into it. Get that through your thick head,” she said quietly with a smile.

Her resolve and smile undid him as he reached for her. He cupped her cheeks and pulled her into a tender kiss. “Kori…”

“Stay here tonight, Kaidan. Let me be here for you if that’s all I can do for you right now. Let me show you you’re not alone,” she replied as she placed the medicine on the side table.

The Major looked from the meds to the woman who held his heart. He nodded and let her strip him out of his uniform. They lay down on the bed holding each other until sleep came to them. Restful sleep was their reward which both officers had sorely been lacking. Their worries and problems could wait until them morning.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> @@@Smut starting in the second section about midway through it@@@

**_Friday, Nov. 17, 2186, SSV Normandy SR2, near Tarith, Lusarn System, Crescent Nebula_ **

The mission started out routinely enough but that was usually when things went horribly wrong. The mission involved collecting Prothean data and artifacts that Cerberus had been using to augment their forces and tech. Shepard had chosen Liara, Kaidan, and Reese to go on the recovery op with him. At first Kaidan objected but he soon realized aside from EDI, Reese was the most experienced with Reaper tech. EDI, upon learning of his object, informed the Major of Anderson’s special task group charged with studying Reaper tech before he had reassigned her to the _Normandy_ retrofit.

It turned out recovering the devices and data was not the problem. Getting them back to the shuttle and Cortez was easy. Facing down a heavily armed Atlas mech was the hard part. The intel they had given to them made no mention of the possibility of the mech, but Shepard insisted everyone keep an eye out just in case. Of course, it was when the four were about to board the shuttle and leave that all hell broke loose.

Liara was already on board securing the devices while Kaidan stood in the hatchway in a cover fire position. Shepard stood outside the shuttle keeping a wary eye out because he insisted things were going too well. Reese, on the verge of jumping into the shuttle, when a rocket whizzed passed them. Shepard immediately ordered the shuttle to take off as Reese regained her balance. Alenko shouted for her to come on but she refused and stayed with the Commander.

Taking a position opposite the N7 behind what cover they could find; she chanced a glance at the retreating shuttle and Kaidan who was still reaching for her. She shook her head and brought out her assault rifle. Another rocket roared by towards the shuttle but was expertly dodged by Lt. Cortez.

Shepard called to her over the radio, “Why didn’t we pick this thing up on a scan? Both you _and_ Alenko said there weren’t any here?”

“Yes, I know, Commander. Thank you for reminding me,” Reese said as she reactivated her Omni-tool.

As she recalibrated the scanning tool, Shepard grinned. “You’re welcome.”

The Lt. Cmdr. suddenly realized that despite smarting off to her CO in a fire fight, he was grinning as he returned fire. She rolled her eyes and thought that everyone had come a long way since those first days aboard the SR1. The new scan suddenly appeared and showed a low-level dampening field covering the base. The tech seemed to be based off of the very same tech they were sent to recover.

The ops officer huffed. “Seems like Cerberus has been reverse engineering this stuff longer than Hackett thought, Commander.”

“Figures,” he said between rounds. “Can you do something about it? This mech seems to be a tougher SOB than the others we’ve run into.”

“Ummm, that would be because it’s augmented with Reaper tech and I can’t overload or hack it remotely,” she admitted.

“Well, you’re the Reaper expert according to Anderson. Is there anything you _can_ do?” he asked

.

Reese thought for a moment as she studied the schematic of the Atlas. It was risky but had to be tried if they were going to stand any kind of chance of getting out alive. And she was sure Kaidan wasn’t going to like it.

“Yeah, there is. But I have to get close.”

“How close?”

“Close on its back close,” she said as she made a few more adjustments to the Omni-tool.

“ _Oh_ ,” was all he said for a moment. Shepard turned to her. “Kaidan will kill me if anything happens to you so _make_ sure you use that special training Anderson volunteered you for and come back in one piece. Is that understood, Lt. Cmdr.?”

“Yes, sir,” she said with a grin and a salute. Studying the readout one last time she silently said a quick prayer and then took off around the crates to flank the Atlas the best she could.

Shepard took the opportunity of her impromptu diversion to pick off more of the troopers providing support for the mech. He even managed to take out most of the combat engineers that seemed dead set on keeping the Atlas running. Although from what he had seen so far, its self-repair system was equal to the Reaper controlled Geth colossus they had encountered a year ago on Haestrom.

Over the radio, Reese heard Shepard calling in orders to the shuttle. Something about covering fire on his signal and pickup shortly afterwards. But the first officer really wasn’t paying real attention as she zigzagged her way around to the back of the Atlas. She was using her biotics more than her gun to make a path. It was less noisy and saved on the ammo for when she might actually need it.

Having made her way around, she noticed the number of support troops for the mech was much less than a few minutes ago. _Shepard_ , she thought with a smile. Now all she had to do was hack the reaper-enhanced Atlas and overload it without getting killed. _Simple…Riiiight…_

Her special training was definitely going to come in handy now. But unknown to Kaidan, _he_ was the reason she had agreed to the program Anderson recommended her for. She just hadn’t found a good way to tell him yet, especially with all that was going on and all Kaidan seemed to be worrying about.

But the Lt. Cmdr. couldn’t think about that at the moment as she studied the back of the mech. She ramped up her barrier and took several deep breaths. Only one chance and she _had_ to make it count. _Kaidan is going to kill me…_

“Now, Shepard,” was all she said as she used her biotics to launch herself on to the back of the Atlas.

“Copy that. Cortez, _now_ ,” the Commander. replied.

Using a biotically enhanced punched her broke through the one vulnerable spot right above the power core and behind the canopy. Once the plating was out of the way, Reese used her Omni-tool to jack into the internal computer system. Suddenly she felt the mech swing around trying to shake her off. She held on for dear life as she flared her biotics to help maintain balance. As the giant mech swung around, she caught a glance of more Cerberus troops and a couple of combat engineers making their way to her.

She cursed and then heard Shepard call out to her over the comm, “Reese, in coming!”

Her eyes went wide as she realized exactly what he had instructed Cortez to do. “Oh shit!”

Reese hunkered down closer to the armor of the Atlas as the Alliance shuttle let loose a barrage of support fire at the approaching troopers. The blasts effectively eliminated the Cerberus soldiers much to Reese’s relief. As she returned her attention to the mech, she watched as the improvised hack program breached the internal firewall and began taking control of the thing. Concentrating on the hack and maintaining her awkward perch on its shoulders, she suddenly heard Shepard’s voice again but couldn’t make anything out but her name.

“Repeat, Shepard. I didn’t copy. I’m almost done with—“

“I said watch your six. A combat engineer made it out of the blast. He’s right— “

As she realized what was going on, she turned to see a second wave of troops moving in on Shepard position and heard a weapon charging behind her. Her Omni-tool beeped, saying that the hack had been completed. She grinned and hit the ‘ _execute’_ button on her tool. Glancing behind her, she saw the rogue combat engineer taking aim at her.

Quickly she yelled into the comm, “Shepard, in coming.”

Sending the reprogramed Atlas on its way, she used her biotics to flip off its shoulders and activated her omni-blade. As she sailed through the air, she sliced the engineer’s weapon in half. The explosion threw the soldier off balance as Reese landed behind him. Using that to her advantage she ran him through with her blade as the Atlas let loose another round of fire. This time it was aimed at the remaining Cerberus troops and then self-destructed. The blast knocked Reese off balance despite her barrier and threw her over the railing of the landing pad. Using the last of her strength she grabbed onto a support beam and hung.

Over the comm, she heard Shepard give the all clear followed by Kaidan’s panicked voice. She sighed and concentrated on hanging on. She didn’t have the strength to do anymore biotic acrobatics. The fight with the mech had taken everything she’d had. A lecture and threats from Kaidan were sure to be the result. But what choice had they had?

Over the comm she heard Liara request Dr. Chakwas stand by and Cortez inform Joker they would be returning after retrieving a wayward tech. Reese smirked as she heard movement above her.

“Hey, you still down there?” Shepard called as his head appeared over the edge.

“Where else am I going to be, sir?” she replied feeling her hands getting more fatigued.

“You know, three years ago you wouldn’t have addressed your CO in that manner,” he said as he leaned over the edge and extended his hand to her.

“Yeah, well three years ago I actually cared,” she admitted as she took his outstretched hand.

“Maybe you still should,” another voice chimed in as second hand reached down to help.

_Kaidan_. And he was pissed. His tone was quiet and his expression blank. For him he was pissed. It didn’t surprise her, but she had hoped he would have at least given her a chance to explain before he started in on her. But alas she was not that fortunate and didn’t feel like getting into it at the moment.

The two men pulled the ops officer up back onto the landing pad. Shepard left Reese with Alenko as he checked the damaged pad. He shook his head and called over his shoulder, “Better let the Major see to you, Reese.” 

Not wanting to look at Kaidan or give him any more ammunition, Reese simply nodded. As she stood to go to the shuttle, the L2 shadowed her movements closely. She rolled her eyes but said nothing as she attempted to take several steps forward. Instead she began to fall to the ground, only Kaidan’s strong hands kept her upright. She sighed at needing help but said nothing. She didn’t have to; he already knew what she would have said.

“You overdid it this time, Reese,” the Major said simply as he wrapped an arm around her waist.

Guiding her to the shuttle, he said nothing else but once again he really didn’t need to. She was definitely in trouble with the Major. Once aboard, Kaidan made sure she was secure in a seat and began running a med scan on her. She was too tired to protest as the shuttle took off. At least the mission had been successful and she had some more data to analyze on possible Reaper tech integration or hacking/reprogramming. Maybe the ass chewing she was sure to get from Kaidan later would be worth it.

She could hope…

Lt. Cmdr. Reese hobbled slowly from the medbay towards her quarters. Thankfully they were on the same deck and not that far away from one another. Chakwas had given her medical leave for the next 36 hours and told her to get plenty to eat and rest. The doctor also felt the need for a stern reminder regarding overexerting her biotics and what the consequences might be if not properly treated. Agreeing rest was a good thing, she hoped it also gave her an appropriate excuse to avoid Alenko for a few hours. As much as she cared for him, sometimes she just needed some alone time, especially when he was…agitated.

She hadn’t seen the Major since escorting her to medical and then left to tend to his own duties. Passing the mess table she thought about grabbing something to eat there but decided to eat some of the food she had stashed in her room instead. Meal bars and juice sounded just fine and still met Chakwas’ requirements. Opting to continue her slow journey to her quarters, the tech wasn’t totally surprised when a familiar voice called out to her from opposite the memorial wall.

“Did the Doc clear you for duty?”

She exhaled slowly. “ _No_. I’m on medical leave for the next 36 hours.”

“I see,” the Major replied as he fell in step beside her. His strides deliberately slow to match hers.

Reese really didn’t want to get into an argument right now. The energy for it just wasn’t there. Sleep was her top priority. The beginnings of one of her rare migraines didn’t make things any better. Not looking at him, she said, “What is it you really want, Kaidan? I really don’t feel like fighting right now or doing much of anything.”

“I wonder why. You overtaxed your biotics with that stunt at the Cerberus base. Surely there was another way to handle that,” he replied as calmly as he could.

“Maybe, if there had been time, but there wasn’t,” she replied feeling the anger she had been controlling threatening to take over. Since her time aboard the SR1 she had tried very hard to control her temper. Now it didn’t seem to matter… “I did what I did to complete the mission.”

“You could have been _killed!”_ he hissed as they stopped by the door to her quarters.

“Yeah, I could have been, but _you_ could have died on Mars. You did what you did to complete the mission. You always do and now you’re a _Specter_ ,” she spat back as she felt her biotics flare at the same time her anger did. “You should understand that better than anyone. Mission. Comes. First.”

He growled at her; his own aura of blue biotic energy flared out to meet hers. Blue energy clashed with purple as he clenched his jaw tightly.

" _Mission?"_ he echoed. Kaidan found himself wanting to punch her or the wall. He really wasn’t sure which at that point. He hadn't felt this much anger directed at her since she stood before him on SR1 after having done a similar stunt to get the mission done. _That_ had led the Mako incident…

" _Mission_. You say that like you’re the only one who can get anything done, _Lt._ _Commander_. I follow _orders,_ especially the ones made by my commanding officers. But you’re the first officer of the Normandy now. You are supposed to be setting an example.” He was practically shouting at her, and she was both fascinated by the sight and frustrated by it. Three years ago he would have made sure he dressed her down in private, now it seemed he didn’t care.

"I don't get an idea in my head, convince myself it’s the _only_ way, and not fucking tell anybody I’m gonna do it!" He stood toe to toe with her, backing her into the door lock behind her.

"I don't forget about my boyfriend, and not even let him know, _'Hey, I’m gonna do something stupid but don’t worry._ ’ Or how about, ‘ _I’m gonna jump on the back of a Reaper enhanced Atlas and try to hack it at the same time_.” His hands moving to hold her shoulders, bringing her closer to him, his face mere centimeters from hers. His biotics still flaring as hers faded.

Reese watched him silently, her expression carefully neutral. She couldn't explain it; she should be pissed at him right now. Well, actually she was, but she was also fascinated by the noticeably confident man in front of her, angry because he _cared_. About her. The man who walked away from her three years ago, now lectured her for doing something that could have resulted in a very bad ending for her. Time really had changed him.

"Are you even listening to me?" he asked incredulously, his eyes filled with anger. He held his lips together in a thin line, and did the one thing he told himself he wouldn't do, not where the rest of the crew could see them; the thing he'd wanted to do most since he and Shepard had pulled her back onto the landing pad back at the Cerberus base. He kissed her. The meeting of their lips was not gentle or tender, nor was it soft and tame; it was hard and unyielding, rough and even ferocious. His tongue was unrelenting as she yielded to him.

"Unlock the door," he demanded in a low growl. He clutched her to him, waiting impatiently as she waved her omni-tool in front of the door.

The Major marched over to her desk and swept it clean with one pass of his forearm; data pads, her laptop, and tools were sent skittering to the deck plates. He picked her up easily and deposited her onto the desk and with a flash of blue, before she could flare her own biotics. Keeping her pinned in a sitting position by a weak stasis field, he ran his hands over her, checking for unreported injuries. He felt her shiver under his touch as she eyed him. He had to be sure she was okay…

Leaning forward, he rested his forehead on her shoulder, biotics still flaring. In a soft voice, murmured, “I could have lost you. I don’t want to do that again.”

“Why don’t you trust me to do my job?” she asked as he moved his head to look at her. His expression hard.

“I _do_ trust you. But you take too many risks. You always have. We’ve already lost so much. You don’t have to be part of that, Kori.”

“You don’t know that I would have—that anything would have happened to me. Why can’t you let me do my job?”

“You’re job isn’t to die!”  
  


“Neither is yours, Major. But we both know it’s a possibility especial now.”

Kaidan growled again. “You—Mars wasn’t enough? You act as if you are trying to get even with me—”

Reese broke free of the stasis and met his lips with a bruising kiss. The Major froze for half a second and then reciprocated the action. Their hands explored each other with abandon, neither wanting gentleness or tenderness in that moment. Making sure the other was alive, that they felt alive at all was their sole goal.

Kaidan found the hem of her in her uniform shirt and began tugging at it. “This—This doesn’t change anything. I’m still pissed at you.”

Reese made a small sound of acknowledgement as the shirt was lifted over her head, his biotics fading away. She didn’t care. She just wanted him. _All_ of him.

Her pants were next, his fingers working the buckle of her belt and the zipper with practiced ease. Reese lifted her hips from the desk as he pulled them from her, pausing only to untie her combat boots. Once her pants and boots were dealt with, Alenko returned his attention to her. All he wanted was her. He had gone too long without and the thought of losing her because of stupid stunt made him angry and possessive and protective and scared. She had to know after everything that he wasn’t just going to let her put her life in unnecessary danger. He _couldn’t_.

Her grey eyes met his whiskey ones. There was no mistaking the anger in her eyes nor the wanton desire that accompanied it. Why couldn’t she see that he only wanted to protect her? Even from herself if need be…

Without a second thought, he hooked his thumbs into the waist of her panties and tossed them behind him. His hands then worked quickly to undo her bra and threw them aside with her other discarded garments. He watched as she took quick breaths, waiting for his next move. Without missing a beat, he quickly found her breast, his fingers fondling her. He took her nipple into his mouth, his teeth nipping just so, drawing a sharp moan from her as she let her head fall back. His hands splayed at her waist as he lifted her, pulling her closer to the edge of the desk.

Reese thought about protesting, after all, they were mad at each other…But all she could think about was his lips leaving a wet trail across her skin, his fingers squeezing her breasts. Her hands pulled at his hair which only seemed to serve to encourage him. She gasped as he slipped a finger inside her, his thumb rubbing at her pearl.

"Damn, Kori, you're wet," he murmured, stroking her soft folds as she began writhing under him. Kaidan slid another finger into her hot center as he groaned out, "So wet for me."

The Lt. Commander mewed as he claimed her lips, his teeth biting at her lower lip. Reese moaned loudly as her inner muscles spasmed against his curling fingers. He drew back for a moment admiring his work as she squirmed against him on the desk.

"I think you _enjoy_ this," he said, and pumped his fingers again, causing a strangled cried from her as she came.

Alenko pulled his fingers from her abruptly, glancing down at them covered with her slick. His attention was brought back to her when she challenged, “Is that all you planned on doing, Major?”

“Not at all, Lt. Commander.” He smirked at her and he toed off his boots, his fingers making quick work at the fastenings of his uniform. He caught the look of wanton desire in her eyes again as she watched him. Kaidan moved slowly, drawing the moment out, wanting her to wait, to want him more.

He had never been particularly good at teasing women let alone seduction, but this was not that. Reese was not just any woman. She was the woman he had loved for three years and only now knew _how_ to love her. He wanted to love her, protect her, care for her. Why couldn’t she understand that?

His shirt slid off his shoulders, and with a mischievous grin, he tossed it at her face. He nearly laughed as she pulled it from her head with an annoyed growl. Reese tossed it back at him, still fully intent on watching him continue to strip. He quirked an eyebrow watching her reaction as he unzipped his pants. Her grey eyes following his movements as he slowly, rolled his hips, peeling his pants off, his erection jutting out proudly.

" _Kaidan_ ," she panted, desperate for his touch again. "I need you. Please."

Nearly three years since she'd last felt his touch if you didn’t count their encounter a few nights previous. That night had meant everything to her but once with him was not enough. She would never get enough of him. She hoped she never did.

He clenched his jaw; this was _not_ a good idea. They were made at each other and she was still exhausted from the overuse of her biotics. But in that moment, he didn't care. He grasped her hips, pulled her so she was barely on the desktop. With a swift stroke, he seated himself within her. He groaned, feeling how tight and wet she was. With her needy whimpers, it took all of his willpower not to come right then and there.

Reese was panting, her breath hot against his shoulder. Kaidan felt her muscles clenching around him, urging him to continue. Encouraged by her mewling cries, he began thrusting against her, his fingers digging into her hips hard enough to leave bruises. They both cried out as they climaxed together. He leaned into her; their bodies shiny with sweat in the dim light of Reese’s quarters. Their hearts racing in their chests, as he felt her hands clutching at his back and shoulders, holding him close.

"Do I still have to prove myself to you? That I know what I’m doing?" she asked softly, and he pulled out of her embrace.

"Reese, you _seem_ to know what you’re doing. You _seem_ to know the risks. You _seem_ to be more sure about yourself, more so than you used to be. But I _can't_ just forget you were willing to almost get yourself killed without even a word to me," he sighed. He gently caressed her cheek, feathered his lips over hers. "But I will try to believe you aren’t actively trying to get yourself killed. I promise."

"That's all I can ask.” She paused still clinging to him, her anger dissipating just as his was. She leaned her forehead against his. “But I wish you’d tell me what’s going on with you…"

They both glanced up as EDI informed them Dr. Chakwas advised no strenuous activity for the next few days. Kaidan thanked the AI with a smirk. Reese raised an eyebrow as she asked, "Do you know where my sleep shirt is? My uniform seems to have been scattered across my quarters."

Kaidan grinned lopsidedly. "I dunno, I kinda like that look on you. Thoroughly ravished."

His mouth went dry as she hopped off the desk sauntered to the drawers, naked hips swaying. "I'm going to see you like that during this _entire_ mission now. I'm officially distracted before we even get to the rendezvous with the Quarians."

" _Good_. Serves you right," she replied as she rummaged through the drawers.

Suddenly she felt a shirt land on her shoulder. She pulled to off and looked at it. It was grey with the Alliance logo on it. Turning to him, she saw him grin as he pulled his boxers back on. “Wear that for now.”

“Okay…” She replied recognizing it as one of the shirts he frequently wore under his uniform shirt. Apparently most of the clothing he had requisitioned before joining the Normandy had been from Alliance supply chains.

“You’re wearing my shirt…” Kaidan stated the obvious as he smirked at her.

“Possessive much?” She narrowed her eyes but smiled.

“Damn straight,” he said as he moved to the bed. She followed slowly, her fatigue coming back. Kaidan gently pulled her down beside him, their fight and anger gone for the moment. All that mattered was that they were together again as they let sleep finally take them.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> @@@smut in the flashback scene occurring right after the Virmire mission@@@

**_Saturday, Nov. 18, 2186, SSV Normandy SR2, Sea of Storms, Phoenix Massing_ **

“This…is interesting news,” Reese said as she organized her data pads. She was still putting things away from her escapades with a certain Alliance Major from the previous day.

“Well, you don’t have to advertise it,,” Tali’Zorah replied from the monitor that was once again back on the desk. “It’s nothing official. We are just… _talking_.”

“Tali, you’ve been through _two_ missions that are classified high-risk with the man. The last one was a _suicide_ mission. Don’t you think that counts for something?” the Lt. Cmdr. replied as she smiled at her friend.

The Quarian placed a hand on the face plate of her helmet. “You _aren’t_ going to let this go are you?”

“Nope,” she said simply as she realized Kaidan’s emails were being forwarded to her computer. She frowned but then said, “You shouldn’t have said anything if you didn’t want me to rag you about it. I’ve haven’t gotten to see you in a while…”

“I know. Ever since I was recalled to the Fleet, I’ve been busy,” the young tech said carefully.

“It’s okay, Tali. I’m not going to poke you for information. I just miss all the technobabble we use to throw at each other. Working on Reaper tech by yourself makes you talk to yourself. Then you wonder if you’re getting indoctrinated. But you come to realize you’re just talking to yourself because no one else can understand you.”

Tali cocked her head. “I can see that, but I heard that Major Alenko was back on the _Normandy_ …”

Reese raised an eyebrow, replying with a hiss. “Yeeessss…”

“I thought you two might still be together. The messages I got while you were on Earth mentioned him a lot,” the other tech observed as she shrugged.

“You’ve been talking to Shepard, haven’t you?” the ops officer sighed as she put the collection of data pads down. “I swear he can be as bad about scuttlebutt as Joker.”

“It wasn’t just Shepard. But yes he did mentioned you two seemed to be working things out,” the Quarian machinist confirmed, her body language hinting at a smile.

“We are…But I guess I have a certain Turian sniper to thank for keeping you informed too,” Reese replied as she looked down at the computer again. Kaidan’s personal files were being transferred to her terminal too. _What was he up to now?_

“Well, that’s good. I think you are supposed to meet up with the fleet in a few days. They want to… _talk_ ,” Zorah said with her version of apprehension.

“I like how you said that,” the Lt. Cmdr. commented as she heard the door to her cabin unlock.

“They are fighting… _again_ , but this time it’s dangerous…for everyone,” Tali explained as best she could without details as the door cycled open.

Reese nodded as she looked to see Kaidan enter the room. He looked over at the empty bed to the desk. Smiling, he peered over her shoulder to see Tali’s image in the screen. The Major waved and said, “Hey, Tali. Long time no see.”

“Hello, Kaidan. It’s good to see you back aboard the _Normandy_ ,” she greeted.

“It’s good to _be_ back,” he replied as he stood behind Reese.

“Umm, Tali, I think we’ll see you in a few days. If you need anything before then let me know,” the biotic said as the Quarian’s omni-tool beeped.

“I’ll be there. I apparently am needed by the Admiralty Board… _again_. I miss fighting and shooting things,” she said with a sigh. “Kee’lah, I never thought I’d say that…”

“It’ll be okay, Tali. Take care,” Reese replied as Kaidan nodded his agreement.

“You as well, Reese. Kaidan. Kee’lah se’lai,” the Quarian tech said as she signed off.

When the screen went blank, Reese turned to Kaidan and asked pointedly, “What the hell are you doing?”

“ _What?”_ he said innocently which given his personality in general and good looks he could usually pull off. But not with her…

“Don’t ‘ _what’_ me, Alenko. You come in here without letting me know, your email is being forwarded to my computer, and your personal files are being transferred to my terminal. What. Are. You. Doing?”

“Ummm,” he said as he ran a hand through his hair, “I’m moving in?”

She glared at him. She wasn’t mad. She probably should have been for many different reasons, but she wasn’t. But he didn’t have to know that right then. Watching him squirm had always been one of her more perverse pleasures regarding the L2.

“Reese?”

“Okay,” she finally said and then turned back to her data pads.

He looked at her for a long time warily and then said, “Okay? That’s it. I don’t ask or tell you and that’s it?”

“Yep.”

“You’re messing with me aren’t you?”

“Of course. Still want to move in?”

“Damn straight I do.”

“Good. You get the bottom drawers.”

“Really? Why?”

“Because it’s _my_ cabin and I was here first. Plus I’m a girl if you want to use that card.”

“I outrank you.”

“Well, if you’re going to play that card instead, you shouldn’t be moving in. Fraternization regs and everything…”

“I’ll take the bottom…”

“I thought so, Major.”

“You know I’ll get you for that, right?”

“I’d like to see you try.”

“Is that a challenge, Lt. Cmdr.?”

“Yes, I suppose it is.”

“I like a challenge.”

“So I’ve heard…”

**_Monday, Nov. 20, 2186, SSV Normandy SR2, Seas of Storms, Phoenix Massing_ **

Being told you can’t work is like telling someone not to breath. At least that was how it felt to Reese. Kaidan had taken over her shifts for the next couple of days while still managing to keep tabs on her. _Thank you EDI._ So aside from going to the mess hall or the observation lounge with someone she was supposed to stay in her quarters and rest.

Doing nothing was definitely not the Lt. Cmdr.’s strong suit. So she had Traynor forward the research on the Reaper code sequence to her terminal so she could attempt to do some work on it. She really hoped when they met up with Tali that the Quarian could help a little. Her natural aptitude for tech would help greatly even though Reese got the distinct impression her friend was no longer just a special consultant for the Admiralty Board.

Reese ran simulations that were proving that the best way to go with the Reaper code now was to try and block it. She didn’t think they had the resources or knowledge just yet to successfully rewrite the code. She wanted to be able to rewrite it but without Legion or someone like him, it wouldn’t be possible. Even EDI said she would need the sentient Geth’s help to rewrite the sequence.

She sighed and went back to staring at numbers and readouts. It wasn’t the most exciting part of her job, but it had become her hobby--if rewriting Reaper code could be considered a hobby. As another simulation started just to confirm what she already knew, her thoughts began to wander. Kaidan had been upset with her and understandably so but then last night…

It was different but she had liked that side of Kaidan. Maybe if they got shore leave again that side of him could be explored some more. It was invigorating to see the Major take charge like he had. He rarely got mad and even rarer did it lead to intimacy like the previous night. She let her thoughts wonder to the night after the Virmire mission when they had lost Ashley Williams.

Shepard had made the fateful call and then had to live with the consequences; so did Kaidan. Shore leave had been approved for the crew on the planet Arios, an Alliance friendly world with an Alliance base. The Commander had talked Alenko into taking a few hours leave and then quietly suggested Reese go with him. Apparently the Cmdr. had been more in tune with what was going on between the two techs than they had originally thought.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Kaidan had taken over the duty shift on the Command deck for Reese. It was her turn on watch. He found it oddly relaxing to be back in the CIC of the _Normandy_ even if it was the SR2. Reese had been right though. Changing the colors back to Alliance blue instead of that awful orange made a world of difference. She had sent him pictures of the old color scheme and all he had wanted to do was puke. Orange was _not_ a color for a ship captained by the Cmdr. Shepard.

The Major looked at his omni-tool again and confirmed what he already knew. Reese was still in her quarters working on that Reaper code sequence of hers. He smiled and remembered how having nothing to do on the old _Normandy_ used to drive her crazy. Apparently that hadn’t changed either. Of course it used to get her into trouble with other crewmembers when they found out their tasks had already been completed. It had gotten to the point where both Anderson and Shepard had developed an ‘extra credit’ list of things not already assigned to anyone for the tech to do. Alenko had been unofficially in charge of overseeing it.

Kaidan on the other hand liked having nothing to do every once in a while. Watching an old movie or reading a book was his idea of doing nothing and relaxing. It was nice to know that Reese had at least started watching old movies while she worked on her hobbies. She did seem more relaxed than she used to.

He sighed as he closed down the omni-tool. He had been angry with her the night before. He had even cornered her against a wall. She hadn’t told him what she was going to do or anything. More training or not, he had thought that he at least rated a heads up or something. And so he had let his anger get the better of him.

It wasn’t the first time he had let his emotions get the better of him when Reese was involved. Their first time together in the Mako had been the result of that. His leaving her after the SR1 went down. Last night and even the shore leave after Virmire had been too. He had just wanted to disappear for a little while. Wallow in the fact that he had survived, and Ash hadn’t. But then Shepard had sent Reese after him...

^^^^^

**_2183, SSV Normandy SR1, Horse Head Nebula, classified Alliance outpost code name “Arios”_ **

_He was stubborn. His parents. His instructors. His CO’s. Reese even. They all agreed on that one thing. Kaidan Alenko was extremely stubborn to a fault sometimes._

_Slumped in the shower gripping his aching head in his hands, he wished he wasn’t. He wished he had taken Dr. Chakwas advice and just downed the meds like the Doctor had advised. But no, he just didn’t want to waste another day comatose, not with so little time left. He needed to be awake. He needed to be able to remember those that hadn’t survived the damned mission on Virmire. He needed to do everything he could to make sure their sacrifice wasn’t in vain. That Ash’s death meant something._

_It was supposed to have been simple. Find Saren and stop him once and for all. Instead a whole group of Krogan had been wiped out, possibly ending any hope of a cure for the genophage, with their demise. In addition a squad of Salarians had lost most of their ranks, and Ashley Williams had given the ultimate sacrifice. It wasn’t fair._ **He** _should have been dead instead. Why had Shepard chosen him? The bomb would have gone off…_

_He groaned quietly as the pain gradually increased. It most always started in his L2 implant, then radiated out across his shoulders then up his neck to settle into white hot points at his temples. His head felt like it was being squeezed in a vice and the muscles in his shoulders tightened. The additional tension did nothing to lessen his discomfort. He screwed his eyes shut, trying to move himself under the steaming of water from the shower head in an attempt to get some relief. Even with his movements limited to small and slow motions, the pain was still present._

_Briefly he considered calling Dr. Chakwas back on the_ Normandy _, but he didn’t like the thought of being at the Doctor’s mercy while he was completely bare ass naked. He could call Reese, but she was somewhere else back on the ship with more pressing matters relating to the efforts to locate Saren again. She had flat out refused to take shore leave either way. Hell he had too, but Shepard and Chakwas had both over rode him on it._

_He sighed in frustration and clenched a fist. He felt twinges in his stomach and knew intuitively he had pushed himself way too far today. He was hungry, exhausted and still not 100% after the beating he had taken on Virmire. The emotional rollercoaster recent events had put him on had pushed his limits to the extreme._

_Unable to hold himself upright anymore, he let out a groan and slid down the tiled wall of the shower, resting his head against the cool flat surface. It was a nice contrast to the steam rising around him from the water that still poured down from above. Through the fog of pain, he realized he should probably turn the water off. However, he couldn’t seem to lift his arms enough to do so. He couldn’t muster the strength to lift them at all. At that point, it was all he could do to stop his stomach lurching from the agony emanating from his implant. Dry heaving in the shower was not something he enjoyed._

_He didn’t know how long he sat there, lost in his world of suffering when he became faintly aware of the water being turned off. Slowly, cool hands began brushing the wet hair away from his forehead. He tried to open his eyes, but the bright light was like a thousand needles stabbing his eye. He moaned involuntarily and squeezed them shut. He fought back a wave of nausea at the rush of pain that suddenly overwhelmed him. Once again he controlled the urge to dry heave. Repaying his rescuer with such an action would only add to the embarrassment at being found slumped naked in the shower._

_The cool hands glided over his face to his shoulder as he heard a soft voice speak quietly. He could have shed tears in relief._ **Reese** _._ _He didn’t even care how she had gotten into his room or why she was there. The fact that she was without having been asked was enough._

_Her hands left his skin causing him to immediately miss her soothing touch. But scarcely a moment later, he felt a soft towel wrap around him. He unconsciously winced at the tiny movements, but with her quiet encouragements he was able to lean forward enough for the towel to wrap around him._

_He heard Reese’s voice again but couldn’t make out her words. He hoped she was alone. He didn’t relish the thought of being naked as the day he was born in front of any of the crew. He was embarrassed and relieved at her presence at the same time. She at least had seen him in the nude before. Point of fact, they had both seen each other in the nude but his crippling migraine prevented him from enjoying the memory._

_Reese helped him stand, continuing to murmur quietly as he moaned in pain. His head felt heavy and his stomach objected at every movement. He felt his muscles tighten as a second wave of nausea overcame him. He bent forward and dry heaved into the shower. There was nothing in his system, his biotic metabolism long since devouring whatever food he had however many hours ago. Reese’s hands rubbed his back sympathetically, patiently waiting for him to finish. When he was ready, she helped him hobble out of the small bath room to the bed. It wasn’t more than a few feet but to him, it might as well have been miles._

_He sank into the soft mattress gratefully, laying on the cool sheets and soft pillows only glad to have made it without retching again. He was vaguely aware of Reese moving around him, patting the towel down his arms and legs gently to dry his body. He felt as helpless as a newborn baby but was too deep in his discomfort to care overly much. He felt Reese press a small metallic object to his neck and then a sharp prick. The meds he had refused to take. No doubt Chakwas had sent them with her._ Just in case.

_The medication coursed through his veins. He felt the numbing effect almost instantaneously. His muscles relaxed, his limbs heavy. He could feel the nothingness of a drugged sleep trying to claim him. It was the thing he hated most about taking the meds. Instinctively he fought it. It wasn’t until he heard Reese murmur the words, “_ Hush, let go. I won’t leave you“ _that he surrendered, and his world went black._

_~~~~~_

_  
Reese smoothed back the dark hair of the marine lying in the bed. His skin was still damp from the shower and his short-wet hair curled around her fingers liked she’d only imagined. As she gazed down at him, his face was peaceful now thanks to the meds Chakwas had sent with her. Seeing him like this, how vulnerable he had been, the fact he hadn’t fought against her help. She knew she was falling in love with him. It had not been planned but it certainly wasn’t unwelcomed. It was just shocking that it happened. She believed he felt the same way but here they were._

_It was so typical of him to try and suffer through his migraine alone. He had done so several times before during their mission. It was only after her own stubbornness to not allow him to suffer alone that Alenko relented. As with every other time, she knew he would become overwhelmed by it as he had departed the_ Normandy _. She had seen his eyes screwed shut when he had finally requested permission to leave. She’d noticed the paleness of his complexion and the way he stood apart from the rest of the crew, quiet and introspective._

_Even though he tried to downplay it, she could see the tension around his eyes, the pain building and held himself rigid as held his duffle bag. The clipped tone of his good-bye to her. But over the past few months she had come to know him well. She knew his tells just as he had learned hers. She knew he was suffering but also knew better than to make a big deal out of it. That would have only made it worse._

_Instead she let him go without a word, knowing he would find his way back to her when he was ready. The Virmire mission had been hard on all of them but the ground team especially… His migraines weren’t new, but until she saw him curled up in the corner of the shower she hadn’t realized how bad this specific one was. She should have realized how bad it would have been before she had refused shore leave. She should have gone with him. Insisted that she go with him…_

_With a quiet sigh, Reese had watched him go, deciding in that moment to check with Chakwas about his condition. She wasn’t surprised when the Doctor had discretely told her of his migraine and suggested she should take shore leave. That was all the Lt. needed to convince her to take it. Less than 30 minutes later, she was off the Normandy, hacking his door lock, shutting off the water in the shower and scolding herself for selfishly admiring his physique while he was in such a helpless state and for not getting there sooner to help him._

_Now, with the medication safety administered, he rested quietly in bed and no longer in pain. The lights in the room were turned down to their lowest setting, and she took the moment to simply watch him. She trailed her fingers over his stubble, tracing his jaw up to his temples and back into his curling hair. She leaned down to place a gentle kiss on his lips, careful not to wake him. Satisfied he was doing better she moved to rise from the bed but was stopped as his large hand wrapped around her wrist, holding her still._

_Surprised, she looked closely at him. He was asleep. Even in sleep he was aware of her. Did that mean she meant more to him than he admitted? Her heart swelled at that possibility. After a moment's hesitation, Reese quickly slipped out of her damp uniform. Tossing the discarded clothes aside, she eased herself onto the bed, carefully sliding under the blankets. Slowly she moved close against his side and draped her arm over him, making sure the sheets covered them both._

_“I’m here,” she whispered as she placed a kiss to the damp skin of his shoulder and soon after fell into a dreamless sleep beside him._

_~~~~~~_

_Reese let out a frustrated sigh as she lay in the dark. She had only managed a couple hours of sleep. A nap. Nothing more. Kaidan on the other hand remained thankfully asleep. He needed it. What he didn’t need were the thoughts that now plagued the LtJG that laid beside him._

_Surely even thinking such things after what he had been through was wrong. Especially after sleeping off the after effects of a migraine and a traumatic mission. He needed his rest to recover both physically and mentally. But how was she supposed to resist? He was lying peacefully beside her, his body silhouetted in the dim glow of the lights she had left on, even under the sheets. His warmth radiating out to her skin and teasing her with his proximity. It wasn’t fair, but she was better than that. Maybe she should get up. Take a cold shower._

_She squirmed in the dark and rolled over. Reese buried her face in her pillow trying to ignore her body’s desires. She wanted him badly, but he needed his rest. She wouldn’t wake him, not until the meds wore off on their own. Being with him like that could wait, even when all she wanted to do was make sure he was real. That he had come back from the mission. He could have been lost. He could have died…_

_Letting Kaidan recover from the difficult mission both physically and emotionally was the right thing to do. Her own issues could wait. The Virmire mission had been bad all around and everyone was coping with it in their own way. The Lt. Jr. Grade decided this was hers._

_A distraction. She needed one ASAP._

_She huffed into her pillow again, trying not to think about how he was completely naked under the sheets beside her. He was so close! And she was going to go to hell for even thinking about it…_

_Just a few centimeters and she would be able to just reach out and touch him. Wake him with soft kisses, feel him reach for her…_ No! _She mentally shook herself._ Damn, Reese. Get a hold of yourself!

_She rolled over again, staring up at the dark ceiling. The sheets tangled around her legs as she once again considered a cold shower. Kaidan hadn’t wanted to let her go for much of the time she had napped. She squeezed her eyes closed and took a deep breath. He wasn’t holding her now. She could make it to the shower without moving him. Or waking him…She tried desperately not to think about it._

_Okay, Reese. Think of something else… Anything else. Think of…. The sensor array on the Normandy! Yes. The sensors. After the blast went off on Virmire the array had been rattled a little bit. It was serious but it needed to be aligned. Needed to be better than specs. She had been on the original team constructing the Normandy. If she couldn’t handle…She should have paid more attention to the sensors during the mission. Maybe she could have picked up on the Krogan army or the fact that Sovereign was nearby…Shepard wouldn’t have had to choose. Ashley would be alive and Kaidan wouldn’t be suffering…_

_She rolled over onto her side, facing the large window the bedroom had. It was night now but Kaidan still slept as she tortured herself with her thoughts. Without warning he shifted his own position, his hand grazing her bottom. She bit back a moan and this time wriggled as far from him as she could without falling off the bed. She buried her face in her pillow again, muffling a cry of frustration._

_How was she supposed to deal with this? She wanted to be there for him but at the same time she wanted him. Wanted to know he was real, that he was alive. She wanted to feel alive with him. It was shameful and pathetic she thought. They had lost one of their own and all she could do was think of having the Lt. so she could what? Feel better?_

_It was incredible she had lasted his long. Maybe she could accidentally jostle him awake she wondered to herself then immediately felt bad at the thought. She was an awful person. None of this was right. Everything was horrible. What Saren was doing was horrible. And she wasn’t helping. He really did suffer earlier with the migraine, and then there was the survivor’s guilt he wouldn’t talk about. She couldn’t do that to him. He deserved better. He trusted her._

_But oh, the things she_ **did** _want to do… as soon as he was awake._

_She sighed in frustration. She was only making it worse. Taking another deep breath, Reese tried to calm her racing heart and still her tense, tingling body. It didn’t help that the sheets felt cool and smooth against her skin. It didn’t help that she hadn’t gotten up to take that cold shower yet either. Weak-willed. That was all she could say about herself in that moment._

_And there was the fact her mine raced with memories of their times together. She was unable to stop herself from recalling those moments, from thinking about how his hands felt as they glided over her hips when no one was looking. Or of their first remarkable time together in the Mako when he had finally shed his concern and grabbed her, pulling her close and kissing her deeply. She hadn’t even know she could be so utterly kissed like that. With everything concerning the Lt., his true feelings weren’t just conveyed through his words. His actions, expressions, his mannerisms, his touch told the rest of the story. She had finally learned that when he had pulled her closer in the backseat of the Mako, when she could feel his hardness against her hip. From that moment, she was lost. He had peeled the clothes from her body, treating her as a precious gift all the while her heart thundered uncontrollably in her chest. When he slipped inside her for the first time, all the pieces finally fell into place. She knew it wasn’t just a one-time thing, that he felt a connection between them as well._

_The two of them had fit together like pieces of a puzzle, fully in tune both in bed as well as working together. It was as though they didn’t even need words to communicate sometimes. Just as well, she mused in the dark. Sometimes words weren’t his strong suit. She could remember plenty of times he had inserted his foot in his mouth over something silly. But the things he could do with his hands…._

_She hugged the pillow tighter as another stray memory filtered through her mind. It had been just a few days ago when he had he pinned her arms above her head in the gym after a training exercise. One of the training sessions Shepard had ordered her to undertake if she wanted to remain aboard the_ Normandy _. Holding her hands in one, Kaidan had used his other trail down her body, teasing her and taunting her until she was wriggling against the wall._

_Heat pooled in her core at those memories causing her to whimper miserably. Why hadn’t she taken the damn shower? She knew she couldn’t take much more. Finally, out of sheer desperation, Reese moved to make a run to the bathroom for a cold shower when she felt a warm, solid hand land on her hip. She froze, anxiously waiting to see what would happen next. Did she wake him? Or was it just a sleepy reflex? He had reflexively held her most of the time he had been asleep…She celebrated inwardly when she heard his husky voice in her ear and the hand tightening around her hip._

_“I’m awake, Reese.”_

_She rolled over to face him, cupping his cheek gently. In the dim light she searched his eyes. The whiskey colored orbs were still heavily lidded with sleep. Softly, mindful he still might have a lingering headache, she asked, “How are you feeling? How’s your migraine?”_

_He chuckled sleepily. “It’s, ah, fine, Kori. Really.”_

_She let out a sigh of relief as she watched him; their eyes never leaving the others. As Kaidan became gradually more awake, he murmured as he grazed her lips with the pad of his thumb, “I felt you tossing and turning. Bad dream?”_

_“No. Nothing like that.” She whispered, still cupping his cheek. She watched as he frowned. He wasn’t convinced._

_“Then what’s wrong?” His tone let her know he was as concerned about her as she was about him. It also demanded an answer. Despite everything that had happened in the past 36 hours, he was worried about her._

_Reese regarded him silently. She refused to answer him. She feared both the consequences of her unannounced appearance as well as what he would think of her reasons for tossing and turning. She was hardly innocent, but she had meant to come and help him not jump him in his sleep._

_Even in the dim light of the bedroom, Kaidan saw the defiant glint in her eye. He felt faintly alarmed and unexpectedly aroused. When Reese looked at him like that, he was never sure if she would just kiss him or simply punch him. He was fine with either possibility truthfully. The second possibility would hurt but making up would be…interesting. At any rate, a distraction from the previous day’s events was welcome especially if Reese was involved._

_“What’s wrong?” he insisted again when he realized she still hadn’t answered his question. Again his question was met with rebellious silence. He knew from the start her defiant nature had intrigued him. He also knew it made being close to her hard, but it was worth it. She was worth it._

_With her eyes locked on his, he silently ran his hand down her body causing her to break her silence. She whimpered softly at the contact and it was then that he realize what had caused her restlessness. Watching as her grey eyes closed, Kaidan slipped his hand between her legs. Realizing she only wore her bra and panties and that those tiny pieces of cloth were the only things separating them got his attention. All traces of sleep quickly disappeared. Without needing to be prompted, his fingers set about stroking her folds before smoothly slipping inside her._

_“Damn, Kori,” he muttered, “you’re so wet for me.”_

_She moaned softly against his neck as she clung to him. She mewling only served to make him hard._

_“Why didn’t you wake me?” he scolded, his voice low. He pulled back to watch her squirm as he stroked her. She was coming undone simply because of his fingers. He was enthralled by her face, her eyes rolled back in her head as her breasts heaved in trembling breaths as he continued his ministrations._

_“I didn’t—” she gasped, her eyes flying open as he slipped a second finger inside her. He grinned cheekily when he realized he had distracted her from her train of thought. The way she reacted to him…No other woman had been so…enthusiastic._

_“You didn’t,_ **what** _?” he whispered softly by her ear. He felt her shiver in his arms. He lowered his head to kiss her breasts, trailing a path from her collarbone to her hardened nipples. He was rewarded with a moan and her hands grasping blindly at his hair. He increased the rhythm with his fingers, curling them just so, causing her breaths to come faster and her moans louder. Within seconds, she quivered around him in release._

_Kaidan gathered her in his arms, acutely aware of his own straining body. He had been vaguely conscious of her tossing and turning for what felt like hours, but it had been hard for him to fight the medication that had been forced on him earlier that evening. It made him so sleepy, so lethargic. But now there was no remnants pain or discomfort. Despite not initially wanting to take the drugs, he was thankful Reese had shown up when she did and given it to him anyway._

_“You didn’t **what**?” he asked again, curious to know what had troubled her. She nuzzled the crown of her head with his nose. He genuinely wanted to know what was bothering her._

_She rested her forehead against his shoulder as she answered softly, “I didn’t want to wake you because you needed your rest…”_

_“Okay, so why are you here then?” he asked, surprised at himself that he wasn’t annoyed at her showing up unannounced. Hazy memories of the relief he had felt when she had helped him in the shower returned. How could he be annoyed or mad at her when she had helped him during his time of need?_

_“I was worried…And two other worried people asked me check on you…even if you didn’t ask for help,” she said looking at him with uncertain grey eyes. “Was--Was I wrong to come?”_

_“No…you…I’m glad you’re here. I_ **wanted** _you here…I just didn’t know how to ask…” he admitted slowly running a hand through her long dark hair. His whiskey colored eyes darted away from her. “That sounds stupid…”_

_“No, not really. With everything that’s happened it’s…I just want you to be okay,” she replied unsteadily. Talking to Kaidan like this hadn’t been an issue before. Why was it now?_

_“I will be…eventually,” he said with as much confidence as he could muster. He had never seen her that unsure. They had only been together a hand full of times, but something had changed…_

_Looking at Reese he realized that loosing Ashley had made him want to hold onto those he cared about even tighter and the LtJG had become one of those people. It shocked him a little to think of her that way but looking back it all seemed so right. They hadn’t known each other that long but it didn’t matter. He still had something to live for…_

_He felt Reese’s lips press a series of tender kisses along the warm skin of his neck bringing him back to the present. Kaidan hummed approvingly as she gently nipped and nibbled her way up his throat to the line of his jaw. At last her lips sought out his in a tender kiss which he eagerly returned. It was then that he remembered why she had been awake, tossing and turning and his own need for her._

_“Kori, wait,” he murmured against her lips. He felt pause, her entire body suddenly tensing. He glanced up at her to see her eyes full of hesitation, uncertainty as if she had done something wrong. That’s what was truly bothering her, the thought she had done something wrong by coming to him, by wanting him after what had occurred on Virmire. She was wrong. Oh, so wrong. He needed her just as much as she needed him. He had to show her that._

_Gently he took one of her hands in his, guiding it over his chest, down over his stomach to his hardened length. Slowly he encouraged her to begin stroking him. He grunted as she caressed him with a light touch. Her name escaped his lips as a hoarse whisper as she kissed him again._

_Quietly she asked, “Is this what you really want?”_

_“I want you,” he murmured as his hands came to hold either side of her face. His eyes locked with hers. “Only you.”_

_Kaidan watched as she swallowed hard. She choked out, “You mean that? This isn’t just…just a fling?”_

_He smiled up at her. “I don’t do flings, Reese. This—us—isn’t a fling. I don’t know what it is, but that is not it.”_

_The dark-haired Lt. nodded as she kissed him again. He met her actions with equal desire as she moved to be above him. Slowly, she began kissing a path down his chest. He felt his heart race with anticipation. She couldn’t be thinking of doing what he thought she might, could she? They had never—she had never gone down on him before. Only he had that first time in the Mako…_

_He became vaguely aware that he was holding his breath as she travelled lower and lower. She was going to do it…When her mouth wrapped around his silken head, he almost raised off the bed in pure bliss. Reese needed no guidance from him to elicit the response she was surely looking for._  
  
She licked and sucked and stroked and caressed him like no other woman had ever done. The pleasure he experienced increased as he panted her name in the darkened room. He fisted his hands in her dark hair, tugging gently to urge her up. The marine wanted to be inside her badly. He wanted to feel her against, to look into her eyes as they both came. With a kiss pressed to the tip of his member, Reese began kissing her way back up his torso. Gliding her hands over his chest and over his arms, she smiled goose bumps appeared. Straddling him, she leaned forward to kiss his lips. Impatient for his release, Kaidan placed his hands on her hips, guiding her down until she was fully seated on him. The room echoed with their moans of bliss as they joined.

_Kaidan glanced up at her to see her leaning back, pushing herself down as far as possible. He felt her take him in fully, the feeling almost overwhelming in itself. She was still so slick and wet for him. Her breasts glistened as he reached his hands up to cup them tenderly, grazing a thumb over each sensitive nipple. Her eyes fluttered open, locking with his. In that moment he knew. He knew she was more than a dalliance. More than a fling. More than just relieving stress on a high priority mission. She knew the same. They had something, something neither had thought to find but weren’t willing to part with._

_Reese fell forward to lay against him as he wrapped his arms around her. Drawing her close, he flipped them over. With her pressed to the mattress beneath him, he decided to show her just how much he cared for her, how much she meant to him._

_He watched grey eyes look at him questioningly as he pushed himself up her and begin moving his hips seductively. Her eyes fluttered shut again as he slowly thrust in and out of her. He leaned down and kissed her, pulling back to murmur against her lips, “I need you, Kori.”_

_Touching his forehead to hers, he added, his voice raw with emotion, “This is where I want to be.”_

_Her eyes opened, staring up at him. Her soul laid bared for him to see. She simply said, “Kaidan.”_

_Reaching up, she placed both hands on the back on his head, his hair soft and curly between her fingers. He felt her pull his face to hers, her lips pressed to his in a feverish kiss, their tongues dueling. He increased the rhythm of his thrusts, her deep kisses fanning his desire only serving to send him into a frenzy. She arched underneath him, one hand still tugging at his hair while the other slid down his back to grab his bottom. Her panting moans urged him deeper and harder. Kaidan complied without question, not stopping until he felt her convulse around him, her muscles tightening, squeezing him intimately. That was all it took to send him over the edge into his own release._

_“This is where **I**_ _want to be,” she gasped, echoing his words. With her head thrown back into the pillow, her hands still clenched around him as he moved in her, he spilled into her._

_With one last thrust he felt her go boneless under him. Kissing a trail along her collarbone to her neck, Kaidan felt her wrap her arms loosely around his back, her breaths coming pants. As he rolled off of her, he pulled her with him, moving to hold her firmly against him. Reese sighed contentedly as he kissed the crown of her head, pulling the sheets up around them again. Nuzzling her ear with his nose, he said, “Stay here with me…don’t leave until we have to.”_

_“I’m not going anywhere, Kaidan,” she promised as she laid her head on his shoulder. “I’m here for you…always.”_

^^^^^

Kaidan walked back to the cabin he now shared with Reese after his duty shift was over. He thought that maybe she might be up for a break from her research and want to eat in the mess. Knowing her though, she’d make up some excuse to keep working in her cabin until her medical leave was up the next morning. It was worth a shot though.

As he opened to door to the cabin loud music from what sounded like his own collection of 20th century music came blaring out into the corridor. Alenko shook his head with a smile. Only Reese could work with music that loud and get anything done.

He walked in and shouted, “What are you doing?”

She looked up with a grin. “Working?”

“How?”

“Very hard.”

“By blaring The Proclaimers _‘I’m Gonna Be’_?” he shouted waving vaguely around the room. Granted he felt the essence of the song in question described his relationship with Reese fairly well, he didn’t considered that she would still be listening to that type of music three years later.

She nodded as she turned the music down. “You should never have introduced me to 20th century music then.”

“I know. I think I’ve created a monster,” he said with a smile as he sat on the bed beside her.

Reese snorted and returned her attention to her pile of data pads and her portable terminal. As silence settled between them, it was apparent her project was more interesting than he was. Kaidan grew annoyed at her lack of attention and shut the computer down.

The Lt. Cmdr. glanced at him in shock and said, “I can’t believe you just did that! I was analyzing—"

“The same data you’ve been staring at for two hours. You’re simulations are even done,” he retorted with a smirk.

She frowned at him. He had seemed playful when he had first entered the room. Now he was getting annoyed. Was something bothering him again or had they not actually resolved anything last night? And oh yeah, he had been keeping tabs on her the whole time he had been on shift.

Reese let out an exasperated breath and asked, “Okay, Alenko. What’s wrong?”

The Major shook his head and looked at the deck plating. “Nothing.”

She cocked and eyebrow. Sometimes he could be such a stubborn ass. “Oh no, Alenko. You don’t get to use my own tactics against me. I wouldn’t talk last night. Fine. You know I get like that. I thought we might have worked it out though. Apparently I was wrong.”

“ _Reese_ ,” he said in a low warning tone.

“ _No_ , Kaidan. You want to fix things between us. You yelled at me the other day, pushed me into a wall, and then jumped me. You don’t get to ‘ _Reese’_ me, _Mister_ Alenko,” she replied sternly as she pushed the data pads out of the way.

“You could have _died_ , Kori! Do you even realize what that would have done to me? I just got you back! You didn’t even warn me you were going to try that fucking stunt and Shepard let you do it!” he yelled at her, his hazel eyes full of rage.

“Don’t blame Shepard…”

“Oh, I do…partly, and we’ve had a… _spirited_ discussion about that, and he knows where I stand,” The L2 biotic clarified loudly shutting down any further protest from the tech.

He looked at her long and hard. “ _But_ he reminded me that _he_ was the CO and you _volunteered_ for it and that I shouldn’t let my personal feelings interfere with the mission.”

Reese remained silent as he looked as if he wanted to say more but wasn’t sure how to phrase it. “Look, I know things get pretty tense around here and that technically we aren’t supposed to be engaging in the relationship that we are. I’m a Specter now too. But we were together before the Reapers hit Earth, it may be the end of life as we know it, and I just don’t fucking care anymore. I’ll do what I’m supposed to do because I’m a soldier and I believe in what we’re doing. But I will _not_ lose you again because of the Reapers or because one of us does something stupid…”

Quietly, he murmured, looking at her with unbridled emotion, “I just want a heads-up next time.”

Reese thought about what he had said for a moment and then lunged at him, pushing him down onto the bed. She kissed him hard as his hand automatically went around her waist pulling her to his chest. She ran a hand through his hair and smiled. “I’m sorry, Kaidan. I’ll tell you next time I decide to jump on the back of a Reaper enhanced Atlas.”

“Or anything else like that, right?” he added as he looked into her grey eyes.

“I promise,” she replied kissing him again. “Next time I do something impulsively stupid I’ll tell you first.”


	8. Chapter 8

**_Tuesday, Nov. 21, 2186, SSV Normandy SR2, Phoenix Massing en route to classified location_ **

“Hey, Reese! It’s good to see you up and about,” Joker called from his seat in the cockpit as the Lt. Cmdr. studied her data pad.

Reese glanced up from the pad and saw the pilot looking back at her expectantly. “Yes, Flight Lt.?”

“Well, normally someone would say thank you…” he said with a grin.

“Thank you, Joker. Now what do you want?”

“Want? Me? Nothing. I just thought you might like to know having you back on duty was a welcome sight. That’s all, ma’am,” the sarcastic pilot replied.

She narrowed her eyes and then said, “Kaidan started annoying you didn’t he?”

Joker coughed and then said, “It’s good to have the Major back but he still needs to learn to relax.”

Reese smiled as she closed down her pad. “He’s slowly learning to, Joker.”

“Yeah, well having you out of commission for a couple days wasn’t helping with that,” he explained as he turned back to his console. “He could have learned a thing about relaxing from Wes—umm, other people.”

Reese’s smile faded as she realized the pilot was talking about Michael. They had never really talked about it. Not once during the retrofit or after leaving Earth. She knew they needed to. “It’s okay, Joker. You can say his name. I won’t break.”

“I know that. It just seemed like we shouldn’t…but he’s always _there_ …” Monroe replied as he looked at his readouts carefully.

“Yeah, he is,” she agreed as she looked at the back of the ace pilot’s head. They remained in silence for several long moments until she said softly, “You know, he thought a lot of you.”

“Yeah, sure,” the pilot said skeptically as he made some course adjustments.

“ _Really_ , Joker. He told me during one of our vid calls.. He thought you were a pain in the ass, but you were a good man. And he was glad to have the opportunity to serve with you even if it wasn’t under Alliance colors,” she explained as he froze.

“I got him _killed_ , Reese…”

“ _No_ , you didn’t. You did your duty and he did his. He wouldn’t want you to go on blaming yourself for surviving.”

“You tried this with Alenko too didn’t you?”

“Well, yeah. I guess you saw how well that worked the first time…”

“You’re getting better,” Monroe replied with a smirk. “I think I believe you.”

“Well, I guess that’s an improvement…I just wish I didn’t have to keep doing it…”

“Well, with any luck we’ll win this thing and you won’t have to anymore…”

“Luck?” Reese echoed. Since when did Joker believe in luck?

“Well, yeah…no, never mind. We have Shepard. Who needs luck?”

The Ops Office chuckled. “When you put it like that, no one.”

“Damned straight…ma’am.”

“Don’t call me that,” Reese snapped quickly. She still hated that way of being addressed. She still wasn’t used to being a superior officer and doubted she ever would be.

“Oh yeah, I forgot. Only Alenko gets to call you that…Must be a pet name or something…”

“Joker—” she warned in a low tone.

“Yes, Commander. Sorry Commander. Won’t happen again…Lt. Cmdr.”

“As you were Flight Lt….and thank you.”

“Anytime, Reese…just don’t repeat, but thanks too.”

“You have my word.”

“EDI, where’s Kaidan? He’s not answering my messages and he wasn’t in our cabin like he said he’d be,” Reese asked as she stood in the empty observation lounge. His second favorite spot on the ship.

“Major Alenko is currently located in the launch bay. He appears to be doing some software upgrades to the Kodiak shuttles at the request of Lt. Cortez,” the AI called over the comm system.

The Lt. Cmdr. frowned as she began heading toward the elevator. “Isn’t he supposed to be off shift now?”

“That is correct. Lt. Cortez did request the upgrade be made but said it could wait until the morning. Major Alenko however has been… _restless_ of late,” she replied as Reese punched the button for the elevator.

“Really? Has he said anything to you? He seemed fine this morning before we went on shift,” Reese commented as the car arrived at the crew deck. She remember the text she had received from him.

_I wish we were cuddling right now._

She had begun to text back her own sappy comments on occasion. It have become their way of just letting the other know that they were always thinking of them. She smiled recalled her reply.

_You’re my favorite notification._

“He only mentioned that it wasn’t fair to ask you to do something if he couldn’t do it himself. That was approximately 2 hours 28 minutes before his duty shift ended. I believe he is attempting to distract himself with other tasks while he endeavors to come to a consensus concerning his dilemma with you,” EDI offered as the Ops Officer entered the car.

“You are doing all your normal operations plus helping Liara with infobroking, running sims on the Reaper code, and dating Joker _and_ you still have time to come up with that?”

“One of my primary tasks is monitoring the welfare of the crew whom I have come to consider friends. And despite the initial incident my avatar body had with the Major and his shock at my inhabiting it now, I have come to count Major Alenko as a friend,” EDI replied.

“You are a hell of a woman, EDI,” Reese replied as she smiled. “Joker’s lucky to have you.”

“Technically, I am not a woman, merely a personification of one. But I will accept the compliment all the same. Thank you, Reese.”

She shook her head. “You’re welcome.”

As the elevator doors opened to the launch bay, Reese took a deep breath and tried to act as normal as possible. As usual Cortez and Vega were both in the bay going about their various tasks. She was pretty sure they were off shift too, but they seemed to make their work into their hobbies as well. It kind of reminded her of Kaidan and his need to fix tech whenever he saw it broken—on-shift or not.

Cortez nodded as she exited the elevator. “Ma’am.”

Reese smiled and was about to ask about Kaidan when the pilot motioned to the farthest shuttle. She cocked an eyebrow and nodded. “Thanks, Cortez.”

“I didn’t request he do the upgrade now…”

“I know.”

“Just covering my backside, ma’am.”

She shook her head and walked down the length of the bay toward shuttle one. Vega eyed her from across the way and waved. “Grease is in the shuttle. Won’t come out. Esteban and I think he’s hiding.”

“Maybe. But I would have you know he doesn’t use grease or anything of that nature in his hair, Lt.” Reese replied as she continued to walk.

“Understood, Mako,” the N7 recruit said with a half salute.

“You don’t want to make me mad, Lt.,” she advised.

“Wouldn’t dream of it ma’am. That’s why I call you Mako—badass tank you don’t want to mess with…To remind me _not_ to make you mad,” he said with a smile.

She shook her head with a grin as she said, “As you were, Vega.”

“Aye aye, Lt. Cmdr.”

Reese gave him a salute as she neared the door to the passenger compartment of shuttle one. From outside the ops officer could hear the sounds of banging and the faint curses of a man who thought he was alone. She smiled and remembered the first time she had learned that Kaidan’s vocabulary included more colorful words that hell and damn. It was one of the first times he had ever been able to truly shock her. Either way, Alenko had enjoyed the silence and look of astonishment on her face after she had realized what he had said.

Slowly, she entered the shuttle and glanced into the cockpit. She found the Specter laying on the floor on his back with his upper torso hidden inside a compartment. He had completely taken apart the paneling under the flight controls and was fooling around with what looked like wiring. Reese sighed and moved to kneel beside his legs. Some things never changed…

Placing a hand on his knee, she said, “You know this kind of reminds me of how we first met.”

“Ummm, well,” he started as he fiddled with wires, “our positions were actually reversed and you didn’t do this—“

Suddenly Kaidan lunged at her with two wires and a mischievous grin. Reese yelped and scrambled backwards as fast as she could. The Specter laughed and put the wires against his hand. Nothing happened.

“Alenko!”

“Sorry, I had to do it. You startled me so turnabout is only fair play. Especially after that cloaking stunt you pulled at the barracks.”

“Kaidan—“

“Look, I actually want to talk to you about that. Well, actually that and something else. The something I asked you to give me time on…”

“Only when you’re ready. I know I can be pushy sometimes about things—“

Kaidan held up his hand to silence her. “I know that but sometimes its warranted. You deserve to know what’s going on with me. I just…”

Reese crawled back to him sitting on her knees as she waited for him to gather his thoughts. He had never been a man of many words but when he did speak especially now, it was important. And with everything they had been through, she could tell he wanted to be very clear and avoid any misunderstandings.

Alenko crossed his legs and leaned forward to take her hand. “I don’t want to mess this up because I didn’t say something right or because I didn’t say something at all. I’ve lost so much time with you and so much because of this damned war; I don’t want to waste any more time trying to leave myself a way out.”

Reese frowned as he tightened his hold on her hand. In a very quiet voice she asked almost scared of the answer, “Kaidan, what happened?”

“Kori, my dad…he’s MIA and I don’t think that…no one’s been able to find…” the Major choked out as he looked hard at their intertwined hands.

“Kaid, why didn’t you tell me?” she questioned as she moved closer to him.

As she sat next to him, she wrapped her free hand around his shoulders. Alenko shook his head. “That night…when I came to you…I was going to tell you, but you mentioned your grandparents and I just couldn’t burden you with my troubles. I wasn’t there to bed you or anything like that. I just needed to be near you, with you. You’re the one thing I have that is still certain…I can’t lose you. That’s why I go crazy when you do something stupid.”

“I…I understand that but I’m here. So, don’t feel that you have to keep things like this to yourself. I might understand more than you think I do,” she offered as she laid her head on his shoulder.

Kaidan looked down at her and asked, “Reese, what’s going on?”

“I still haven’t heard from my grandparents or _any_ of my other family. They all had moved in or just right outside Atlanta in the past few years. No one had gone off world since my parents, except me. We’re all real close…If any of them had survived they knew I would have found them. I’m the smart one as they used to say. If anyone could figure anything out it was always me.”

She was quiet for a moment as Kaidan moved his arm to hold her. She finally continued in a quieter voice, “EDI and I have come up with an algorithm to search for anyone that the crew inquires about. The accuracy is 97%. Pretty good considering all the chaos going on especially back home. There’s no sign of them at all, none of them. _Nothing_. Atlanta’s gone and so is my entire family.”

“Kori, how could you have not said anything about this? My dad maybe dead but my mom is alive. But you…you’re _entire_ family? Are you sure?” He regretted the last sentence as soon as it was out of his mouth.

Reese jerked away from him and glared into his hazel eyes. “ _Sure_? Yeah. I’m sure. There’s no one. I’m one of the one’s who lost their entire family to the damn Reapers. Atlanta and the surrounding area is a smoldering crater and I’m the only one left. How could you even ask that? You know how hard I’ve been working on things. It’s for them. So they didn’t die in vain. So that no one else has to go through the hell I’ve gone through. So we can stop the Reapers. So no one else loses their entire family and is left alone…”

Kaidan leaned forward and took her face in both his strong hands, making her look at him. He could see the unshed tears in her grey eyes, the hurt, the desperation, the fear, the anger, loss. “Sweetheart, I’m right here.”

He looked at her willing her to understand that he knew exactly what she as going through. He grazed her cheeks lightly with his thumbs. “ _We_ are here.”

At that Reese openly started to cry. Kaidan brought her to his chest in a fierce embrace as he began to shed his own tears. Into her hair, he vowed, “No matter what, none of this will be in vain. I swear, Kori.”

“Kaidan, I can’t lose you…Please don’t leave me,” she pleaded.

“I’d walk through hell to get back to you, Kora Reese,” he said as he pulled back from her enough to see her face. He gave her what she called his lopsided grin making her return it with a half of one.

“You might get a little crispy,” she quipped wiping away the tears.

“Nah, I’d just get a nice tan,” he corrected as he looked at his arm. “I think I might need one anyway. Staying in that hospital did nothing for my complexion.”

She frowned at him. “I’ve never known Kaidan Alenko to be vain. Since when do you care about your tan? Isn’t it _natural_ anyway?”

“Ummm, yes my skin has this nice olive color to it. But since I have to make sure to keep a certain beautiful LC interested, a little sun couldn’t hurt. As I recall, you said I looked good,” he replied, purposefully attempting to distract them both from their previous topic.

“Well, yeah, but you don’t have to do that or whatever to keep me interested. Your hands do that for you,” she replied mischievously, following his lead.

“Well, keeping that in mind I think we should definitely take some shore leave when this is over. Someplace with a beach where there’s plenty of sun and my hands can keep you interested,” he said.

“Kaidan…”

“Well, I have to look forward to something. Besides seeing you in a swimsuit should be an amazing sight,” he added.

Reese rolled her eyes and smiled. “You would look good in trunks…”

“Well, yeah, but I’m taken. So we’ll have to watch out for that…”

“I know how to take care of myself now, so I’ll just use my advanced combat training to keep my Specter boyfriend safe,” she replied.

“Hmmm, you know the _Specter_ part implies I can take care of myself, but I like the boyfriend part…”

“I thought you might.”

“Then we’re in this thing together…all the way.”

“Damned straight.”


	9. Chapter 9

**_Thursday, Nov. 23, 2186, Polias, moon of Aegis, Hoplos System, Hades Nexus_ **

“There’s Reaper coded Geth down here!” Kaidan yelled into the comm as his team went to ground for cover.

Shepard had decided to split up the ground teams into two different squads and use both shuttles to hit the hostile forces from two sides. Hackett had provided them with intel that Cerberus defectors wanted to be extracted but their location had been compromised. They hadn’t known it was Reaper coded Geth until the teams had deployed. Now it was too late to change their plan of attack.

“Copy that, Alpha Team. Changing scanning modes to compensate,” Reese’s voice came back over the comm. “Delta Team did you copy the last traffic?”

“That would be an affirmative, Lt. Cmdr.,” Garrus replied with his usual cynicism.

Shepard came over the radio and asked, “Do any of you tech heads have any ideas? I’d like to avoid a massacre here. Getting the defectors out is still the top priority.”

There was silence for a moment and then EDI replied, “Reese and Traynor may have a possible solution though it is still in the testing phase.”

“How much of a testing phase?” the N7 asked as he looked over at the other Specter. Kaidan shrugged his response to the unspoken question. He had no idea what the two female techs had been working on.

“Well, sir, we have been analyzing the reaper code EDI has access to and have been trying to find a way to counteract it. All our simulations show that it can be done one of two ways: rewrite the code or simply block it,” Traynor explained with hesitation evident in her voice.

“ _But?”_ Shepard asked. “There’s always a ‘but.’”

“There’s two problems. One is we can’t duplicate the strength of the rewrite program Legion wrote without his help and two: either solution requires direct linkage with one of the corrupted Geth or their local server,” Reese finished.

Everyone was silent except Garrus who commented, “It’s _always_ something.”

“Even if they were able to block the signal we don’t have a way to get anyone down here with the program. Both shuttles are grounded until we takeout those damn AA towers or figure out how to shut the Geth down ourselves,” Shepard said thinking out loud as his eyes fell on his friend and fellow Specter. The Major worn an anxious expression as he fiddled with his Omni-tool.

Frowning, the commander asked, “What’s wrong, Kaidan?”

Alenko held up his hand as he reread the message he had just received. _I’m gonna do something impulsively stupid, techboy._

Concern in his tone he asked over the comm, “Reese, _what_ are you doing?”

There was silence for a moment until Joker came over the comm. “It appears that I’m left in charge and she’s decided to go make a delivery. That’s all she said.”

“Oh, shit,” Shepard said much to Kaidan’s surprise.

“ _What_? What is it?” he asked his former CO. The Commander knew something about Reese that he had missed. Was it that classified training listed in her file?

“She wouldn’t…” Shepard muttered ignoring him for the moment. “EDI, I want to know exactly what Reese is doing.”

“The Lt. Cmdr. is currently in the elevator heading for the launch bay,” the AI replied with alarm evident in her tone. “She has requested her gear with EVA equipment be made ready.”

“ _EVA_? What the hell? She doesn’t have that kind of training!” Kaidan exclaimed, trying not to panic. Impulsively stupid his ass!

Shepard looked at him. “She hasn’t told you has she?”

“Told me _what_?” Kaidan asked as his mind flashed back to her personnel file he had read and reread in the hospital when he had tried to get to know her again in between visits and emails. Classified training sponsored by Ad. Anderson had caught his attention but wasn’t described in detail.

As the pieces began to click into place the second human Specter asked, “Traynor, how sure is Reese that the block signal will work?”

“In simulations it worked 91% of the time. As of now the Lt. Cmdr. works on it in here spare time until Legion can be contacted. She had hoped to be able to send the signal from some distance away instead of relying on a direct interface,” the Specialist replied, a waver in her voice coming across the comm.

Quietly she added, “I did try to talk her out of it, Major. I swear I did.”

“It’s okay, Sam. Just patch me into her helmet frequency as soon as she’s suited up,” Alenko said with defeat in his voice. _Impulsively stupid_. He had asked to be told and she had done that. But she hadn’t promise _not_ to do it…

“Aye, sir,” she said as Shepard quickly went over all the available options. Reese was going to do what it took to complete the mission. She was giving him the opening he needed to save the defectors. Looking at Kaidan he knew if there was another way he would do it, but the mission came first…

“Garrus, you still there?”

“Where are we going to go, Shepard?” the Turian replied, humor in his tone.

“I was thinking that you, Vega, and your squad go secure the defectors,” Shepard said.

“Well, that’s fun for us. What about you?”

“We’ll go get a Geth and meet Reese,” the N7 replied confident in his last-minute plan.

“Go get a Geth?” Vega echoed as he chimed in over the comm. “Just like that, loco?”

“Yes, James. Just like that,” Shepard confirmed, smugness in his voice.

“Sounds about right,” Garrus noted. “We’ll see you on the other side and tell Reese good luck.”

“Will do, Shepard out,” he said as he turned to Kaidan. Looking his old friend in the eye, he said reassuringly, “She’ll be fine.”

“I don’t have much choice but to believe that,” Alenko replied as he checked his rifle. Shaking his head, he muttered, “Why didn’t she tell me?”

“I’m not sure, Kaidan. All I do know is after the encouragement you gave her on the original Normandy to do more, she did. And people took notice including Anderson who sponsored her entrance into the N7 program. From what I understand she’s a N5 right now on the verge of becoming an N6 when Anderson pulled her to oversee the retrofit of the Normandy,” he explained as they began searching for a good target for capture.

“I _didn’t_ know. I really didn’t know,” the Major shook his head as they advanced on their prey.

“I need you focused, Kaidan,” Shepard said as his Omni tool beeped. “She’ll be ready to drop in 5 minutes.”

Shepard looked at the Major, seeming to make sure he his head was still in the game. Kaidan took a breath. He had to trust Reese. They were trying to start over and that meant trusting that she knew what she was doing, that she had taken steps in his absence to do what she was about to do.

“Then let’s get this done,” the second human Specter said with a grim smile. “I have to go pick up my girl.”

~~~~~~~~~

“This was _not_ one of my brighter ideas,” Reese muttered into the helmet as the cargo bay door opened.

“What was that, Lt. Cmdr.? You’re not thinking of backing out now are you?” Shepard’s voice said into her helmet.

“Hell, no sir,” she replied with more confidence than she felt.

“Good, we have your friend secure. Now we’re just waiting on you,” he said as she looked at the countdown on her HUD display. 20 seconds and she would jump.

She closed her eyes and swallowed hard. “Umm, there’s something you should probably know…”

“And that is?”

“This is the first time I’ve done a solo atmospheric jump and why I haven’t advanced to N5 yet…”

_10 seconds_ …

“Why?” Shepard’s voice asked.

She opened her eyes. Kaidan was going to kill her. “I get sick when I jump….”

_5 seconds_ …

“You _what_!?” Kaidan exclaimed, his voice echoing loudly in her ears. “They make meds for that you can still take some—"

As a klaxon sounded, Reese interrupted, “No time.”

Taking a deep breath, the Lt. Cmdr. jumped. The wind and pressure change was tangible even in her EVA equipped suit. Kaidan was definitely going to kill her. She found herself laughing as she descended toward the coordinates Shepard had provided. She still couldn’t believe she was jumping out of the Normandy of all things.

Her false jovial moment was interrupted when communications came back online. A genuinely concerned Alenko was talking to her as calmly as he could manage. “Reese, are you there? Can you hear me? Kori! Are you okay?”

She cocked on eyebrow as she considered the question. “Well, for jumping out of a ship several kilometers above the ground and doing something that scares the shit out of me, yeah I guess I’m okay.”

“Scared?” Shepard said quietly. She knew the question was for Kaidan and remained quiet. She really didn’t feel like explaining that anyway.

Equally quietly, Alenko explained, “She’s afraid of heights.”

“You know I can still hear you,” she commented feeling annoyed as she tried to keep her mind off the jump.

“I know, sweetheart,” Kaidan replied with a reassuring tone.

Reese grunted her acknowledgement as a wave of nausea overcame her. When she didn’t say anything else, Alenko asked, “You still with me?”

“Ummm, yeah,” she breathed as she willed the sick feeling to go away.

“There’s 2 minutes till planet fall,” Shepard informed them. “I’ll leave you two alone. You are one hell of a officer, Reese.”

As he clicked off his comm, Kaidan agreed. “He’s right. You are.”

“I’m a crazy woman.”

“That’s why I love you,” Kaidan whispered into the comm even though they were now the only two on the frequency.

“Hmmm, that’s….uuggg,” she moaned.

“Kori?”

“I’m going to be sick. I knew this was a bad idea…”

“It’s your first time jumping alone?”

“Yeah.”

“I’m here.”

“Thanks.”

“Maybe you should think about your first time doing something else…like in the _Mako_.”

“What?”

“You heard me. Think about the _Mako_.”

“I…”

“You can throw up on my boots later. Just be safe…”

“Kaidan…”

“It’s going to be alright, Kori. I promise.”

“Naaahhh, I—I’ll hold you to that.”

~~~~~~~

“Nice job, Lt. Cmdr.,” Shepard said as he took the OSD with the program on it from her.

Reese nodded with a weak smile and then doubled over, throwing up onto Alenko’s boots. The two Specters glanced at each other. Shepard grinned and said, “I’ll leave you two alone. You can take care of her. I, umm, have to go stop some Reaper coded Geth and save some Cerberus defectors. You know the usual stuff…”

Kaidan narrowed his eyes at his former CO. Reese heaved again this time beside the biotic’s boots as he held her hair back. “Chicken.”

“Not a chicken. Just a strategic retreat. Besides the mission and all…” Shepard replied as he gave the sentinel a two fingered salute and left the biotics alone.

“Maybe you should go with him. You’re the tech after all,” Reese suggested as she tried to catch her breath between heaves.

Kaidan knelt down beside her with a smile. “And miss all this? Not a chance. Besides Shepard seems more tech savvy now than he was three years ago.”

She attempted to nod her agreement but bent forward again. Kaidan pulled her hair back gently with one hand as he rummaged around in his small med kit. “Here take this.”

“How can I? I can’t keep anything down…”

“This will help with the nausea and the throwing up thing you have going on,” the Specter said as he also offered his canteen, trying to suppress a grin.

“I —"

“I can make it an order, Lt. Cmdr.,” he said gently but firmly. “You’re dehydrating and you won’t be any good to anyone like that if this whole thing goes south on us.”

Reese closed her eyes to fight back another wave of queasiness and nodded her agreement. She took the medicine and water from Alenko and quickly downed the meds. “I…oooh, I don’t think I’ll be doing that again anytime soon.”

“That’s probably a good thing for multiple reasons,” Kaidan said as he attempted to clean up her face.

She squirmed at the unsolicited help. “You don’t have to nurse maid me like Shepard suggested. I’m _not_ a little kid.”

“No. You’re a stubborn woman who didn’t take the medicine she could have just to make a point. You had time to, but you thought you had to do it without it to show you could be an N6,” he replied causally as he brushed a gloved hand across her cheek.

Reese looked up at him in surprise. She hadn’t told him yet. She didn’t know how. She was still convinced it would only make him worry more. “How—"

“Shepard told me the short version of it. The point is you don’t have anything to prove to anyone here. You’re here because you’re the right person for the job. _Period_ ,” he said as he moved her hair behind her ear.

“But I didn’t tell you…”

“No you didn’t. And that hurts a little. I’m sure you had you’re reasons but now I know,” he said as he activated his omni tool. They could discuss it later. For the moment all that mattered was that she were safe and sound on solid ground again.

He ran a scan over her to check her vitals and confirmed what he already knew. She was dehydrated and exhausted. She would need to see Chakwas once they were back aboard the Normandy. He smiled and leaned down to her level, brushing his nose against hers.

“Oh, no, Kaidan. I just up-chucked everything I’ve eaten in the last three days. I’m disgusting,” she whined as she tried to squirm away from him.

“Then I’ll have to settle for this for right now,” he replied as he kissed the crown of her head.

She sighed in contented defeat as the engines of a shuttle neared.

The doors to a Kodiak opened to reveal a smirking Shepard. “Need a lift or do you two want to be a lone a little longer?”

“ _Shepard_ ,” Kaidan said in a warning tone, glaring over at his friend.

The Cmdr. held up his hands in surrender as the two biotics made their way to the shuttle. “Well, I guess that means everything’s alright and the mission is complete. I say we get off this rock before any more surprises happen.”

“I couldn’t agree more,” the Major said as he looked down a Reese who was leaning on him for support.

“What are you all looking at?” the first officer commented as she felt the meds kick in.

“A crazy lady,” Kaidan murmured with a knowing smile.

Shepard added as sleep started to overtake the L3 biotic, “Crazy enough to be an N7 one day…”

He turned to look up at Alenko. “By the way what was all that talk about the first time with the Mako?”

Kaidan shook his head, realizing Shepard had only muted his end of the comm instead of turning it off. “Oh no, Shep. A gentleman never kisses and tells. Besides she’d kill me when she wakes up if I said anything. Even to you.”

“Damn, I guess I’ll just have to use my imagination…”

“You do that, sir. I’m sure you can figure it out…especially considering the relationship you and Dr. T’Soni started on the SR1…” the L2 biotic replied with a smirk.

Shepard nodded with a smile. “Understood, Major. And by the way, I’m happy you two are together again…”

Kaidan glanced from the Commander to the woman dozing in his arms. Brushing a stray strand of dark hair from her face, he returned the first Specter’s smile. Quietly he agreed, “So am I, Shephard. So am I.”


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> @@@smut in the very first section of this chapter@@@

**_Thursday, Nov. 23, 2186, SSV Normandy SR2, Hades Nexus, exact location classified_ **

Reese entered her quarters slowly, glad not for the first time they were located on the same deck as the medbay. The meds Kaidan had given her had worn off and the good doctor was kind enough to give her something else as well. Chakwas stressed her need to additionally drink plenty of fluids and get plenty of rest. But to ensure that she would do that, she had put the first officer on two days of medical leave. Who knew jumping out of a ship through the atmosphere could get you a mini-vacation?

But of course that came with being exhausted and hurting in places you didn’t even know you could hurt. Otherwise the ops officer was okay but lying down for a while didn’t seem like such a bad idea. Kaidan had told Shepard he would cover for her for the next couple of days. He had been upset with her decision to jump without taking the ‘proper’ precautions as he termed it _and_ because she hadn’t told him she had been in the N7 program.

After the last time, we decided to discuss things rather than ‘jump’ into them, Reese thought to herself. She silently chuckled at her horrible pun. That didn’t stop Kaidan from making fun of her for taking medical leave twice in two weeks.

Reese sighed as she stripped off her clothes as quickly as she could without hurting any more than she already did. Throwing them into a pile the corner, she made her way over to the waiting bed. Hauling a knee up onto the bed, pain shot down her back, and she stifled a whimper by biting her lip. She managed to flop down across the bed, ending up with her nose brushing against the tee shirt Kaidan had given her. At some point between the Cerberus siege of the Citadel and his reassignment to the SR2, the Major had found a shirt that said “I [heart] Makos” on it. He had meant it as a private joke, but she had refused to wear it outside her cabin. Instead she usually slept in it. Sighing again, she clutched the shirt in her hand and laid very still. Contented for the moment not to move.

The pain had become just barely tolerable, and she'd just started to doze when she heard her door slide open. She tried futilely to prop herself up to turn over or sit up or _something_.

"Don't," Kaidan's voice said, calmly, just loud enough to be heard over the hiss of the hydraulics and the hum of the engines, "Just _don’t_ even think about getting up."

Frustratedly, she plopped back down against the mattress and burrowed her face against the corner of the pillow. She heard Kaidan stop by her desk/workbench area, followed by the faint squeak of the desk chair. The distinctive sound of combat boots being unlaced, and the rustle of clothing came next.

And then the bed dipped slightly, Kaidan's warm skin sliding against the outside of her legs, his weight partially, carefully, settling just below her backside. What really caught her attention was his hands. His wonderful, knowledgeable, capable hands were skimming along her spine under her shirt. He kept his touch feather-light, his fingers charged with his biotics. This wasn't the sharp discharge of initial contact that she'd become accustomed to; this was a constant, gentle tingling that always made every single one of her nerves hum, her own biotics responding in kind. Of course Kaidan would the one to master using biotics combined with massage therapy.

Reese groaned gratefully, trying to arch into his touch, and immediately let out a hiss of pain. Kaidan flattened a palm against her back, gently pressing her to the bed.

"I got this, sweetheart," he said, an audible the grin in his voice. Reese huffed in frustration. And then his knowing fingers slid up to her shoulder blades, kneading her muscles with easy, rolling motions. As his biotics flared just so, all Reese could do was moan into the pillow as the tension slowly began to bleed away..

His thumbs circled against her spine as his fingers continued to work the area of her shoulders. As she basked in the relief the Major was providing her, she was dimly aware of his hands dragging slowly downward, his thumbs eventually slipping down under the waistband of her boxers to skim over her hipbones. The sensation ended as his fingers curled into her waist and then to her hips.

Kaidan carefully leaned down, the warmth of his being radiating the length of her back. He covered the nape of her neck with slow, wet, open-mouthed kisses that made both her biotics and a heat along her whole-body flare. She couldn’t ignore the sensation that pooled in her belly.

"Starting to feel better?" he breathed, his tongue flicking against her cool skin. Reese dropped her head, giving him greater access as she experimentally rolled her shoulders. Purposefully arching her spine against him, she stopped halfway through.

"Right shoulder's still a bit sore," she admitted, actually wanting to concentrate on what he was making her feel instead. "And the middle of my back - just above my waist. Same side. I don’t think I landed as gracefully as I had hoped.”

Kaidan drug his hands up her back again with greater pressure; his biotics flaring more to match. Whether on accident or on purpose she wasn’t sure, the hem of her shirt caught on his wrists, hitching up with his movements.

"Gonna have to take these off," he murmured against the nape of her neck, his lips brushing against her skin.

Reese chuckled at his words. _On purpose_. Definitely on purpose she thought as he pushed her shirt up and over her head and then hooked his thumbs in the band of her sports bra and tugged it up, too.

"To do this right." His logic was sound, but she knew him. He had ulterior motives but would present it as something logical, useful.

When Reese wiggled slightly to rid herself entirely of the offending garments, she felt the bulge in Kaidan's boxers bump against her backside. She chanced a glance at him over her shoulder. He grinned knowingly at her, kissing across her shoulders along the hollow of her throat up to her cheek.

"Not why I'm doing this, Kori," he murmured thickly.

"I know," she answered softly before she bit her lower lip between her teeth as she arched her back again just so. Feeling the heat and weight of his arousal pressing against her tailbone only served to flame the tingle of desire threatening to cause her to throw caution to the wind. Kaidan sat up, his fingers clamping around her hips to pin her firmly to the bed. A small flare of his biotics extenuated the action.

" _Stop that_ ," he chided. He would have sounded deadly serious except for the grin tugging at the corner of his mouth. "Tell me again where you're still sore?"

"Right shoulder, just under my shoulder blade," she answered dutifully. "Middle of my back, just above my waist, same side."

With one more spark of biotic energy and a firm squeeze to her hips that told her to stay put, he brought his hands back up to her shoulder. The Major walked his fingers along her shoulder blade, digging in with his knuckles, hoping to work out the remnants of the soreness. Finally she groaned into the pillow. Reese rolled her shoulder against his touch, caught between the slow relief of pain and the slow increase of heat coiling in her belly. His fingers trailed down her side to the last knot in her back, his thumbs pressing into it. Blissfully aware of the final vestiges of tension bleeding away, she hummed with contentment. Kaidan’s hands skimmed down her spine again, his fingers going to her hips. This time his thumbs sliding under the waistband of her boxers.

She arched her hips into his hands, bumping up against his erection again. This time, he didn't stop her.

"You know," Kaidan said as he pushed his hips against hers, "I have this sneaking suspicion you've got some tension in your lower back too. You know? Since you did an atmospheric jump out of the back of the Normandy…"

"That's likely," Reese answered coyly, glancing at him over her shoulder.

"And _these_ ," Kaidan rubbed his thumbs down the curve of her backside, pulling on the hem of her boxers, "are going to have to go if you want me to do anything about it."

"Figured as much," Reese responded with mock severity, biting back a grin as she lifted her hips to help him. She raised an eyebrow as she smirked, "And you might as well take the underwear, too. I'd hate for it to get in the way of such… _hard_ work.”

Kaidan squeezed her butt with one hand at that comment before quickly pulling the clothes in questions off and tossing them aside. Reese watched with anticipation as his callused thumb devoid of a biotic flare now, slid between her folds. She gasped, grabbing at the sheets as he pressed lightly against her entrance and then slid down to circle her sensitive nub. The Lt. Commander raised her hips toward him, trying for more as Kaidan rumbled his praise.

The Major spread her folds open with one hand, watching as she trembled before him with expectation. His other hand was busy pushing down his boxers before wrapping his fingers around his thick erection. She felt his smooth head pressing against her entrance, waiting for him to sheath himself. She moaned into the sheets as he finally hilted himself with one slick push. She loved this. The feeling of him. How she had missed it during his two-year absence but now he was there with his chest pressed to her back and his weight pinning her to the bed.

Kaidan's arms came up over her shoulders, bracing himself as he withdrew before slamming into her again with a guttural groan. He leaned down to scrape his teeth against the nape of her neck, greedily nipping at the curve of her shoulder. It only served to make her gasp and moan as he sucked and licked his way across her exposed skin. The Major spurred on by the erotic noises she made, thrust into her again and again, fast and deep, stretching her, filling her, making her fingers twist in the sheets as she struggled for leverage.

The tension continued to build, coiling tightly through her belly, making it nearly impossible to stand. Sensing her end, he reached down with one hand, pulling her hips higher and tighter against his, letting him push deeper as he continued pounding into her. She cried out as her orgasm finally broke like a wave. Pleasure washed over her all at once, and there was nothing but him. The feel of him pushing inside her, the sound of his moans in her ear, the scrape of his teeth against the crook of her shoulder. Kaidan felt impossibly good inside of her, stretching her further as he swelled, sending a feeling of ecstasy rocketing through her again. He groaned her name desperately against the curve of her neck. He came just a split second after her, filling her with warmth as he throbbed inside of her.

Still hilted within her, Kaidan reached to lace his fingers with hers. He nipped lightly, one last time, at her neck before pressing sweet, gentle kisses to her skin. There would be marks there in a few hours most likely but at the moment neither seemed to care. Reese tipped her head to give him better access, humming in contentment.

"Thank you," she murmured, feeling tired and sated at the same time.

"For what?" he asked, his lips brushing enticingly against her skin again. Reese shuttered at the fresh waves of pleasure coursing through her because of his actions.

"Helping me work out all my tension," she stated matter-of-factly with a smile. His chuckle rumbled through his chest.

"Anytime, sweetheart. All you have to do is ask."

~~~~~~~

Reese woke up a few hours later. Glancing around she saw that it was the middle of the night, but something had woken her. Everything was fine. No alarms. No messages waiting to be read. What had woke her up?

She recalled a dream of sorts. Kaidan’s voice talking her through the jump from earlier. The Mako. Throwing up on Kaidan’s boots. Shepard teasing. Rescuing the Cerberus defectors….

She was forgetting something. Something important. What was it? It was something Kaidan had said…

_That’s why I love you…_

She sat up in bed suddenly. Had he really said that? He had never actually vocalized the emotion before. To be fair, neither of them had. But…His eyes, the way he touched her told her that he did. But this was Kaidan Alenko, a guarded and careful man when his emotions were involved. Maybe he had…

Reese glanced over at the man sleeping next to her and found him staring back at her with a goofy grin. She narrowed her eyes and asked, “ _What?”_

“You finally remembered what I said earlier,” he said huskily, sleep still evident in his voice.

As always when relationships were concerned, Reese hesitated and bit her lip. Did she dare say what she thought she had heard? It could have been a trick played by her frayed nerves during the jump. But the way he looked at her now and what he just said…

She gripped the sheet tightly and replied slowly, quietly, “You said that you…that you loved me.”

The Major nodded slowly as he reached up and cupped her cheek. “I _do_ love you.”

“Kaidan…” she said quietly as he leaned into his hand.

He moved to sit up beside her, leaning in closer to her. As he grazed a thumb lightly over her lips, Reese thought of every reason she shouldn’t accept his confession, everything that might go wrong, everything that she could lose. For once, the shouldn’ts and wouldn’ts and couldn’ts lost.

She said, “I love you too.”

“I know. I’ve always known,” Alenko whispered as he kissed her gently, pulling to him. “And I think I’ve loved you since I first saw you working on that damn sensor array on the SR1 without permission.”

“It needed upgrading…”

“It was a _prototype_ ship.”

“Exactly. Not everything works perfectly the first time out on a prototype.”

“Some things get a good start though,” he observed as he pulled her back down to the mattress with him.

“You like annoying me sometimes don’t you?”

“Well, I don’t get the chance often, so I have to do it when the opportunity presents itself,” Kaidan said as he played with her hair. He felt her relax against him again and smiled. He could spend the rest of his life like that. It was then that the Major made up his mind to do something he should have done a long time ago.

She sighed and held onto him tighter. “Good night, Kaid.”

“Good night, Kori. I’ll see you in the morning,” he replied as he silently added hopefully for a long time to come as he began making plans.

********

**_2183, SSV Normandy SR1, near Sharblu, Gorgon System, Argos Rho_ **

_“That was dumb, Kori. Really, really dumb,” Lt. Kaidan Alenko scolded as he applied a second round of medigel to Lt. JG Reese’s thigh._

_“You wanted the door opened. I got it opened,” she snapped as she balled her hands into fists. He wasn’t being very gentle when he applied the gel. He was mad and she knew it. But the mission came first._

_“You’ve lost a lot of blood…I don’t know if this will hold until we are extracted,” Alenko replied as he concentrated on using his medic training to keep her stable. She had taken a pulse rifle round to the leg while hacking the door._

_“It could have_ waited _while I cleared the area,” he said glancing up at her. They had been ordered to remain behind and secure the area of a Cerberus facility containing an advanced AI research network hub. Reese had been tapped by Shepard over Kaidan’s objections because of her tech knowledge. The sentinel had advised against her joining the ground team because of her lack of field experience._

_“The Commander wanted it…secured. We didn’t…have a lot of…choice…They had to…clear out the...rest of the base…” she replied acting as if she were having trouble focusing._

_“Hey, Reese! Stay with me,” Kaidan said placing a hand on her cheek._

_“So sleepy…”_

_“Kori, you need to stay awake…please?” he said with concern in his voice._

_“Huh? I don’t think I can…” she replied with a weak smile. “Did anyone ever…tell you that you…have very pretty eyes?”_

_“Ummm, just my mom—"_

_“Smart lady. Raised a smart son…”_

_“Hey, tell you what, you stay awake and I’ll take you to Vancouver one day and you can meet her. You and she can agree on how smart you both are. Deal?”_

_“I’d like that, but I can’t…hard to focus…You are cute though…actually you’re drop dead gorgeous…’cause guys don’t like to be called cute…”_

_As she trailed off, Kaidan knew she was unconscious and nothing he could do could keep her awake. He could only hope Shepard worked fast enough that they could get her back to the Normandy in time…_

_````````````````````````_

_Reese woke up in the medical bay of the Normandy. The lights were dim as usual but there was the sound of hushed voices from the other side of the room. She blinked her eyes willing her groggy mind to focus. Her leg hurt. Then she remembered the Cerberus research lab. She’d been shot in the leg opening the door to the server room…Kaidan had been pissed…_

Oh no. He’s going to kill me…

_Those were her first thoughts after she realized just had badly she had been shot_. I’m going to be busted back to ensign if he has anything to do with it.

_“She’s awake,” Doctor Chakwas said._

_“Good. So everything’s okay with her? I’d hate to lose a mostly good officer like that,” Cmdr. Shepard asked._

_“She will be fine, gentlemen, but she’ll be in the infirmary for a few days and then on light duty for a while. I’d recommend no more field missions for the time being.”_

_“Understood, Doctor. Alenko, I believe you can handle what needs to be said or I could…”_

_“Aye, sir.”_

_“One thing and I know you can hear us Lt. I expect you to get better and I expect you to return to duty in a timely manner. But you will undergo extra field training under the guidance of Lt. Alenko. You should have had a barrier up. You are an L3. In a combat situation, that barrier is a must and could have prevented this. You biotics test out high enough to have accomplished that with no problems. Understood?”_

_“Yes, sir,” Reese croaked out from across the bay._

_“Good,” he said and left the room._

_Reese could see Alenko looking toward her as he waited for the door to close. “Doc, do you mind if the Lt. and I have a few minutes alone. We have some things to discuss.”_

_“Of, Lt. I’ll take my lunch. I’ll be in the mess for about an hour if you need anything. Lock the door after I leave if you wish. I’ll have any medical emergencies forwarded to my omni tool for the time being,” she replied with a gentle smile._

_“Thanks, Doc,” Kaidan replied as she turned to leave. Locking the door behind the medical officer, he took a deep breath and made his way over to the bed containing the still groggy Reese._

_He looked her over and then poured her a glass of water. She slowly took it from him and sipped the cold liquid. The L2 watched her intently as if making sure she did what she should. When she finished the glass off, he took it from her and set in on the side table._

_He stood there beside her in silence for a long time. His hazel studying her intently, his expression carefully neutral. It was like being stared down by a parent or a teacher who knew you knew better and were disappointed. They were just waiting for you to admit the mistake before they lectured you. And she knew a lecture was coming._

_Finally unable to take the silent admonishment any longer, she asked, “What? What are you supposed to tell me? How stupid I am? How dumb I can be? How I shouldn’t do what it takes to get the mission done? Well I’ve heard it all before. Everyone else has what it takes but not me. I’m just a tech so don’t bother trying to help out. Just do techie stuff and leave the fighting to the soldier--”_

_“Shut up, Reese!” Kaidan said loudly._

_“What!?”_

_“I said shut up. Didn’t you even hear what Shepard said? You’re going to be training with me—"_

_“Why? So you can tell me how impatient I am? How impulsive I am?”_

_“Well, maybe, but not really. You’re supposed to learn_ **when** _to do the stupid things you do. Because the stupid things you do are brilliant and amazing. You need to work on your timing…and maybe some of that ‘soldier stuff’ too so you can fight and do techie stuff at the same time.”_

_She looked at him in shock. No one had ever looked at it from that point of view. Maybe she did need to learn some more things. Maybe tech wasn’t all there was. But she wasn’t totally convinced. Her past assignments had not been kind to her in regard to ‘soldier stuff.’_

_“Why you?”_

_“Because I came up with the idea and I used to be impulsive like you…and it took a terrible mistake for me to realize how dangerous that could be. I don’t want you to have to go through the same thing..”_

_“Jump Zero?”_

_“Yeah.” He glanced away toward the monitors beside her bed. Part of him didn’t want to even mention it while the other part hoped to use it to help her._

_Reese paused for a moment. He was angry and frustrated with her but still wanted to help. “I heard about it, but I didn’t think you’d really want to bring it up…”_

_“Well, I never did before until Shepard brought it up. Maybe I do need to talk about it…” Alenko replied as he turned his attention back to her. “But that doesn’t mean what you did was the right way to do things.”_

_“It got done—"_

_“Kori, you could have_ died _! That wasn’t part of the plan…and whether you like it or not you have someone you cares about you…” He interrupted loudly as he gestured between them._

_Shocked at his words she stammered, “Kaidan, I…I’m sorry. I didn’t think—"_

_“That’s just it, Reese. You_ didn’t _think.” He glared down at her, desperate for her to see his side of things._

_His words hung in the air for several long moments. He was right. She could be an impulsive person sometimes, but she could have died when she didn’t have to. And she wasn’t sure but a part of her believed he was scared of that happening. Finally she admitted softly, “You’re right…What do I have to do?”_

_“You let me help you…not just because Shepard ordered it…I want to.”_

_“What do you have in mind?” She looked up at him, taken aback once again by his confession._

_“Defensive exercises. Barriers and deflection. Things that can protect you while you’re trying to do something else.”_

_“That’s it?”_

_“Yeah, well, maybe how to use your biotics more efficiently over all.”_

_Reese considered his offer. It would mean putting extra duties on what the Lt. was already assigned. But he said he had suggested it to Shephard. He wanted to help her. She could do better…“I think you should teach me some offensive techniques too.”_

_“Why?” Kaidan asked in surprise._

_“So I’m_ not _a liability on the ground. So I can help out if needed and so I can do more than just defend myself if there isn’t enough personnel on the team to give me a babysitter.”_

_“You don’t need a babysitter.” He scoffed, crossing his arms over his chest._

_“Yes I do. You told Shepard as much when he wanted me on the team. And as much as I hate to admit it, and I do hate it--you were right. I am a liability to the overall safety of the team.”_

_Taking a step towards her, he asked in a serious tone, “Reese, do you know what you’re asking me to do?”_

_“_ Teach me _. Make me a stronger, better biotic and in the process maybe show me how this patience thing works and when to use it.” It was simple. She would be the student and he would be the teacher. Who better to learn from than the Alliance’s premier L2 biotic?_

_“It will take a lot of training and time. I haven’t exactly trained anybody before either…” He admitted doubtfully._

_She smiled up at him. “Then it should be a learning experience for both of us.”_

_“You really want to do this?” he asked frowning at her, but not saying no._

_“As long as it’s with you, yes.” She had made up her mind and once that was done—well, it usually didn’t change._

_Alenko shrugged. “Then I guess we’ll start when the Doc clears you.”_

_“Thank you.”_


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ***possible TW***  
> major character experiences an emotional/mental breakdown please be aware of this if you are sensitive to this (occurs in the sections after EDI and Reese head to the cargo bay towards the end of this chapter)

**_Sunday, Nov. 26, 2186, SSV Normandy SR2, location: classified_ **

Several of the senior officers and civilians the Normandy had picked up along the journey so far gathered in the meeting room. Several murmured that they hadn’t even known Reese was in the program let alone that she was one of _those_ soldiers. Her service record prior to her assignment on the SR1 was a combination of R & D and field support assignments. There was one small section that detailed a reduction in rank for insubordination but also that she received a medal of honor at the same time. That particular period of time was classified and occurred in between her completion of her initial training and the beginning of her R & D assignments. didn’t indicate it. After the SR1 went down that was when everything had changed and not just in her military record. Her personal life had done a complete 360 as well. Those that had served with her before knew why, the others only scuttlebutt filled in the blanks. But the fact that Major Alenko could now be found in joint quarters with the First Officer left little to the imagination.

Command Shepard rapped on the conference table a few times, calling the gathering to order. “Hey, let’s settle down. This isn’t going to be a long drawn out ceremony at the request of the honoree but still silence for once would help.”

A chuckle filled the room as everyone knew their meetings usually became spirited debates. Shepard shook his head and motioned towards Reese. “As you may or may _not_ know, the Lt. Cmdr. here is in the N7 program. Before leaving Earth she had reached N5 level, just shy of completing the requirements for N6. After several missions, some excellent intel and research developing, as well as a couple of crazy stunts that had the Major scared to death, Ads. Anderson and Hackett and I have decided in lieu of the actual N school, Lt. Cmdr. Reese is to be advanced to the next level. On behalf of them, you are granted the level of N6 with all the rights, duties, responsibilities, and privileges thereof. Congratulations, Lt. Cmdr.”

Reese smiled as she shook Shepard’s hand. “Thank you, Commander. This means a lot to me.”

“You’re welcome, LC. You deserve it and it’s a good morale boost for the crew,” the Cmdr. replied as Kaidan came up behind them.

“You just could resist poking at me could you?” Kaidan muttered with an annoyed expression.

“No. I believe it was Ash that first said you’re an easy target. I think Reese agrees,” the N7 said as he reached for the bottle of champagne Garrus handed him.

Alenko eyed Reese who refused to look him in the eye. “You do agree with them don’t you?”

She bit her lip as Liara came to stand beside the Cmdr. “You have done well, Reese. I think all those classified missions you undertook for Anderson have paid off.”

Reese gave her a knowing smile. “I think they did. Now if they can just help _now_.”

“Give it time. You’re close. I can feel it,” the Shadowbroker encouraged.

“Ever get the feeling you’re being left out of something important?” Kaidan remarked as Shepard opened the bottle.

“All the time,” he replied looking at the Asari.

“I let you know what you need when you need it. I haven’t let you down yet. Have I?” the blue alien said with some hurt in her voice.

“No, you haven’t, and you never will,” Shepard replied as she kissed her quickly.

The bottle popped open as Vega yelled, “Drinking time!”

Reese rolled her eyes as the Lt. brought over some glasses. He offered one to her first but was intercepted by Kaidan. “She doesn’t drink.”

“Wait. _Really_?”

“Really.”

“I think I might be able to fudge it this time, Kaidan,” she said as she took the glass from him. Kaidan looked at her confused. “I think this is for Ash and everyone else not here…”

Alenko nodded as he looked to the Commander. He nodded and said, “To those not here…They will never be forgotten.”

The human marines in the room all replied with ‘Hoorah.”

Shepard smiled and they downed his drink. Kaidan waited until Reese “drank” hers. After he swallowed and took the glass from her, he whispered to her, “Don’t give up completely, Kori.”

She nodded as the others began to come around to congratulate her. Kaidan hovered nearby but let her have the spotlight. He was sure he’d be the butt of several jokes because Shepard had opened the door for it. But it was Kori’s day. She deserved it.

Kaidan wandered over to the viewport and watched the stars pass by as his thoughts began to wander. He had so many things he wanted to do. All of them with Kori. But there was a war on. He had to make some allowances for that. He had to realize that things could happen…

“Hey, you okay there Major?” a soft voice called from behind him. Kaidan turned to see Reese standing looking at him with concern on her face.

“What? Oh yeah. I’m fine. Just thinking I guess,” he replied trying to draw himself back to the present.

She put a hand on his shoulder. “You thinking? That’s never good…”

He glared at her teasing. “Why don’t you go mingle? It’s your day.”

“I’ve already mingled,” she replied as she moved to stand in front of him. Leaning against the viewport, she added, “Besides I want to take you down with me if I go.”

“You know, being the center of attention can’t be that bad,” he commented as he watched her carefully. She had always hated the spotlight.

“Well, you would know. You got that big Specter ceremony and all, _Specter_ Alenko,” she taunted with a grin.

Kaidan narrowed his eyes and decided two could play that game. He snaked an arm around her waist and said, “Comes with the job, sweetheart.”

Her eyes went wide as he leaned in closing the distance between them. He had never been that public about displays of affection before. What was he getting at? “Kaidan, we’re not alone.”

“I know, but you’re such an easy target…” he whispered as his lips grazed hers.

 _You’d think I’d learn Kaidan can be a sneaky bastard when he wants to be_ was all she could think as he pulled her to him.

The Second human Specters mouth crashed into hers with enough force to knock the wind out of her. Her mind swam with conflicting thoughts. She wanted to kiss him as much as she wanted the punch him. He had done it on purpose, but she had asked for it in a way…

The room erupted into applause and cheers as the two kissed. Reese turned red much to Kaidan’s delight. He knew he would get it later but for now it was okay. When he pulled away, Vega yelled, “Way to go, Major!”

“Here, here!” Shepard shouted as he called for another toast. “To the Major and the LC! May there be many more embarrassing moments to come!”

“Is this normally how humans engage in these mating rituals?” Liara asked in a hushed tone.

Garrus shrugged. “You’ve been around them about as long as I have. I still haven’t figured out how they select a mate. You’re involved with one anyway. Don’t _you_ know?”

Liara smiled shyly. “Actually no…”

“I have observed that it is a complex interaction sequence often involving a love-hate relationship. Those seem to form the strongest bonds,” EDI offered as Joker palmed his face.

“If that is what you are going on, EDI, then Reese and Alenko are the perfect example of that,” the pilot replied as he looked at them. The N6 was pretending to punch the Specter in the arm. He held up his hands in surrender and laughed.

“You could say that we could be included as an example as well, Jeff,” EDI observed with a half grin.

“I never hated you. I just thought you were incredibly annoying…” Joker replied and then thought better of it. “Okay, I’m going to shut up now…”

“It is alright, Jeff. I believed you to be an annoying human in the beginning…”

*****

**_Monday, Nov. 27, 2186, SSV Normandy SR2 in orbit of Angel One,_ **

“You enjoyed that yesterday, didn’t you, Major?” Reese asked as she double checked the team’s equipment.

“Well, yeah. As I said before, I don’t get the opportunity often to catch you off guard,“ he said as she looked up with a glare. He smiled as he adjusted his blue armor. She always said he looked good in blue…

Ignoring his comment, she said, “I’ve uploaded the newer detection program to your omni tool. It should give you an earlier warning if you run across any reaper…things.”

“Reaper _things_?” Shepard asked from behind them.

She shrugged. “Well, they keep coming up with new things…so they’re things. Look the point is this will detect reaper coded ‘any things’ quicker.”

“Even the organic reaper ‘things’?” Garrus asked as he checked his sniper rifle for the fifth time.

“Yes. Even organic turned into reaper avatars that have synthetic parts encoded with reaper code. This will work on them too,” Reese replied confidently.

Garrus shrugged. “With earlier detection, maybe I’ll be able to shoot more of them. Make sure I stay ahead of Shepard.”

“Don’t hold your breath, Vakarian,” the Commander snapped back with a grin.

Kaidan shook his head. “Just like old times.”

“Well, close,” the Turian replied. “This time the galaxy believes us.”

Reese rolled her eyes and closed down her Omni tool. “Alright boys. Be careful down there. If _the_ Miranda Lawson says there’s trouble you know there’s something big and bad down there. She’s perfect after all…”

“Do I detect a hint of jealousy, Lt. Cmdr.?” Shepard said with a smirk as Kaidan covered his mouth to hide his grin.

“If you weren’t my CO…” she said with a grin.

“Understood, LC. Take care of the ship while we’re gone,” the N7 replied.

Reese frowned. “Is there a reason you keep telling me to take care of the ship?”

“Well after what happened with the last one…”

“Shepard, I think she gets it,” Kaidan replied before she could say something smart.

“Okay. Okay. We launch in two. Kiss her for luck and get aboard,” Shepard ordered as Garrus followed the Commander laughing all the way.

“I’m never going to live this down,” she sighed as she suddenly found herself whisked off the floor by Kaidan. “What are you doing?”

“Following orders, ma’am,” he replied with a cheeky grin. He kissed her tenderly and added, “I’ll be careful. I promise, sweetheart.”

“I’m holding you to that, Alenko,” she said pecking him on the cheek.

“Understood,” he replied as he set her down.

She nodded as he grabbed the rest of his gear and walked over to the Kodiak. Before he shut the door, he looked back at her with that smile meant only for her and gave her a two fingered salute. She smiled as the door shut and the shuttle left the Normandy’s bay. Despite his reassurance she couldn’t help but worry. If Lawson alerted Shepard personally, the situation was worse than “bad”…

~~~~~~

**_Monday, Nov. 27, 2186, Kodiak shuttle en route from Angel One colony to SSV Normandy SR2_ **

Major Kaidan Alenko had been on many hard missions. Some even ending in disaster and heartbreak. The mission to Eden Prime, the mission to stop Saren, the Horizon mission…The one to the back-water world of Angel One had been one of them. They were much like the colonists of Horizon, wanting nothing more than to live their lives away from everything, including the Alliance. Kaidan knew some viewed the government as a big bully but he saw no reason to raise a fuss. To each his own.

But with the Reaper invasion, humans were pulling together regardless of political views. The near isolationist colony had started taking in refugees from other Reaper hit colonies. They had even started to accept a small number of alien refugees. But even the remoteness of the colony could not save them from the Illusive Man. The Cerberus ex-operative Miranda Lawson had tipped off Shepard that the colony would be hit by the extremist group. Something to do with experiments on Reaper tech. After seeing the soldier on Mars, Kaidan knew all too well how far gone the Illusive Man really was.

The Major sat off by himself on the Kodiak during the trip back to the Normandy. Besides a massive migraine coming on, he felt helpless and angry. Helpless he couldn’t save the colonists and angry because Cerberus had once again beaten them to the punch. Claiming to help uplift humanity while at the same time helping to destroy it. Hypocrisy fit the Illusive Man to a tee. And for Kaidan that was one of the worst traits a person could have.

He closed his eyes and willed his headache to go away and his emotions to settle. He was a Specter now. These missions would only increase in frequency. It wasn’t fair but as a Specter maybe he could help change that. That was one of the driving forces behind him becoming a Specter. Kori had been another.

_Kori…_

Without wanting to, the Major’s thoughts travelled back to the story Reese had told him of the failed Destiny Colonization Terraforming Project. She had shared her past when he had told her about Jump Zero and Conatix. It turned out Conatix had been responsible for the failure and tragedy of the Destiny colony too…

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

**_2183, SSV Normandy SR1_ **

_“Kaidan?” a soft voice called through the cargo bay. No one else was in the bay. Of course they weren’t it was nearly midnight. No one was scheduled to do any work on the night shift …at least this time for once they were all caught up on the repairs and maintenance._

_So how did she know he was down there? Alenko screwed his eyes shut and grimaced. Shepard had seen him go to the elevator as the Cmdr. had headed to his cabin. By now he had to know that the relationship between the two Lt.’s wasn’t just professional. They had those few stolen moments in the Mako and the extra training he was giving Reese with her biotics. Of course his CO had called her…_

_“Here,” he called as loud as he dared without causing anymore discomfort. He didn’t want to take pills for a small headache. Some quiet and soft light would do it. Or so he had thought. It wasn’t one of his killer migraines, but he still hurt like hell._

_He still held his eyes shut as he heard someone slowly enter the Mako and slide into the back-bench seat beside him. He had chosen the Mako because it helped block out some of the extra noise and because no one was around to question him or try to send him to medbay. But now she was there…_

_The sentinel knew that she was watching him carefully; looking for any indication of what he wanted her to do. He wasn’t sure_ what _to do. He hadn’t planned on her finding him. He still wasn’t used to having someone care about him beyond the mission or medical profession._

_Instead of waiting for him to tell her what to do, he felt her slide into the cramped floorboard and inch her way in between his legs. Kaidan opened his eyes only to see her smiling at him. “Close your eyes,” she breathed as she gently placed her fingers against his temples._

_He complied and grimaced slightly until she started massaging the sides of his head. Almost instantly the pain began subsiding a little. He sighed as she asked, “Like this?”_

_He had only briefly mentioned the technique to her a few weeks ago without actually showing her. Apparently she had done some research on her own. “Ah, yeah.”_

_She hummed in contentment, glad that she was able to provide him some relief as she kissed his forehead. They remained like that for several long minutes; Kaidan occasionally offering a guiding hand on different ways to help drive away the pain, her fingers doing the work with little effort, as if they already knew exactly what to do._

_When his headache was just a dull pain, barely registering to him, he ran his hands down her arms, moving them to her waist. He looked up at her with whiskey colored eyes and said, “Thank you. You didn’t have to come down here just because…”_

_“I know. I_ wanted _to,” she replied as she moved her hands to cup his face. He hadn’t had a chance to shave, as the stubble lightly scraped her palms._

_“Shepard?”_

_“Yeah.”_

_“Figures.”_

_She smiled at him as he leaned in and gently kissed her. He moved to her ear and whispered, “I know you’re exhausted from the training and the mission earlier…I don’t want you to burn out worrying about me.”_

_“Helping you if I can is not going to burn me out…At least it’s something I can control. I can help you with your headaches or work or_ something _…”_

_Alenko pulled back and studied her carefully. Her tone of voice told him something more was meant with that statement. “Something you can control?”_

_She sighed knowing she had said the wrong thing. Now he was going to worry and start asking questions she didn’t want to answer. “It doesn’t matter, Kaidan. Forget about it.”_

_She attempted to get up from the floorboard but his strong grip on her waist prevented that. “Kori,_ what _is it? Every time biotics are brought up you tense up or shut down. I can’t figure it out…You aren’t worried about me being an L2 are you?”_

 _He looked at her in the eye, waiting for an answer. She had never treated him differently because he was an L2, but she didn’t talk about it either. She looked back at him for half a second and then glanced away. Kaidan felt all the forbidden hopes he had placed in his unconventional relationship with her suddenly evaporate. She_ did _think he was a threat…”It is because I’m an L2…”_

 _His hands fell from her waist and he slumped against the seat. “I would never hurt you…_ ever _…I’m not like that…I can’t be. I won’t be…I’m not a monster…”_

_Suddenly the sentinel felt arms wrap around his neck as he looked up. He found Reese leaning up, almost laying on him, embracing him. He looked down at her, confused. His hands involuntarily went back around her waist. “Reese?”_

_“I’m sorry, Kaidan. I know you’re not a monster. You’re a good man. You’re the best man I’ve ever met. But it’s not fair…”_

_“What’s not fair?” he asked hesitantly, still not sure he knew what was going on._

_“You shouldn’t have to worry about always staying in control because of what Conatix did…” she whispered into his shoulder._

_He frowned. Conatix’s involvement in the appearance of first-generation biotics had never been widely published let alone officially acknowledged. How did she know about it? He hadn’t really talked about Jump Zero with anyone either except with Shepard. “Kori, what exactly are you talking about?”_

_She shook her head and pulled away from him. He quickly moved his hands to her face, forcing her to look at him. “I need to know. What do you know?”_

_She closed her eyes and took a breath. “Conatix was responsible for most of the accidental exposures to humans, producing the first generation of human biotics…Those kids born like you…”_

_“Yeah, they were…A lot didn’t survive…and others, well they might as well not have,” he confirmed as he looked at her. There was still something else._

_Instead of questioning her, he offered, “I—My mom was exposed to eezo during an accident in Singapore when she was pregnant with me…I hit puberty and a couple suits show up to take me away to Jump Zero for training with a Turian. Stuff happened and the Brain Camp was shut down…Conatix went bankrupt and the Alliance began a “better” training program for human biotics. I wasn’t invited.”_

_Reese looked at him with a little bit a surprise. She hadn’t expected him to share that with her. It was one of the secrets of his past she thought would remain that way to her. When she remained silent, Kaidan pulled her gently into the seat beside him. “It was shut down because I…lost control and killed the instructor. I was trying to ‘protect’ a girl and I guess I let loose with a full biotic kick…broke the turian’s neck…scared the girl…the one I thought I had something special with…”_

_With that confession, he half expected Reese to flee from the Mako, leaving him as he had been after Jump Zero, utterly alone. Instead she laid her head against his shoulder and held his hand tightly. He looked down at her as she said, “That’s why you’re so controlled and introspective.”_

_After a few silent moments, she moved to wrap his arm around her as she rested her other hand against his chest. He felt contented knowing she was beside him and not fleeing for her life after his confession. He found that he felt as if a great weight had been lifted from his shoulders he had been unaware of as he fumbled with her fingers._

_“Conatix officially went out of business, but they still existed as a shadow organization funded by somebody very powerful,” Reese said softly._

_Kaidan frowned. He had heard those rumors but never paid them much mind, instead focusing on training and controlling his biotics on his own. “You believe that?”_

_“And you don’t? The accidents continued after Jump Zero shut down…just not on Earth,” she said, her tone indicating she was slightly hurt at his skepticism._

_“Well, no, maybe. I don’t know…” he said honestly._

_“Well, I do. I’m a result of their ‘accidents’ just like you,” she replied looking up at him defiantly._

_“Reese—“_

_“Kaidan, listen. Please? Look, I’m not from Earth, not originally. I’m from Moirae, the first and only planet terraformed using the Destiny plan. Because of the way the terraforming was done, eezo had to be shipped under quarantine guidelines through the upper atmosphere. There was a shuttle leak engineered to happen but not at that altitude. Instead of a ‘normal’ accident that was supposed to have happened, Conatix supercharged the nanomachines working to create oxygen in the upper atmosphere and destroyed the colony. There were greater numbers of the nanites the higher you went to help create and maintain the atmosphere. Everyone was exposed to super high levels of eezo because we all breathed in the nanites everyday with every breath. It was too much for most of the colony…Only 5% of us survived and every one of us developed biotics within 6 months. All teenagers between 12 and 15 with no families left thanks to them.”_

_Alenko let the statements set in for several long minutes. He had never heard her voice so full of venom. She believed every word that she had told him and knowing her she had done her homework to prove it._

_He hooked a finger under her chin and said,” I believe you, Kori.”_

_Relief filled her as he leaned in and kissed her. “Kaidan, I—“_

_“Don’t let your hatred for them cloud your judgment. You’re an amazing woman who can do so much good…I know you’ve already made your family proud.”_

_“Kaidan, why do you always know what to say?”_

_“A gift?” he offered as he gave her a cheeky grin. “It only seems to work when I’m alone with you though.”_

_“Maybe that’s a sign…”_

_“I think I like that kind of sign.”_

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

To Kaidan Conatix was just as bad as the Illusive Man and Cerberus. He supposed it only reinforced his intolerance for hypocrisy. Instead of getting better he felt his control slipping over both his emotions and his biotics. Fearing a total loss of control, Kaidan focused all his thoughts on Kori…her long dark hair, her grey eyes, her laugh when he made a bad joke, her smirk when she was proven right, her glare when she were annoyed, her sigh in her sleep when he held her, her temper when she was angry, her determination to get the mission done no matter what…

Kaidan balled his hands into fists. He could feel his biotics trying to flare. The turbulence wasn’t helping either or Garrus’ headshot recount.

Squeezing his eyes shut tighter against the migraine, he heard Shepard ask, “Kaidan, are you alright?”

Through gritted teeth and emanating a bright blue aura, the Major replied, “No, sir. I am not.”

~~~~~~

**_Monday, Nov. 27, 2186, SSV Normandy SR2 in orbit of Angel One,_ **

“Shuttle in bound,” Joker trailed off as he glanced at EDI. The AI looked back at him, her face neutral.

“Joker, what is it?” Reese asked as she came up from behind them. The two remained silent as the N6 stood behind them waiting.

When they still refused to answer, the First Officer ordered, “Report, Flight Lt.”

“Reese, they are requesting a medical team to the launch bay with a full security team,” the pilot said quietly.

“Why—“ the she began as a beep from her omni tool cut her off. She activated the message and the read the words as they flashed before her. _Reese get to the shuttle bay ASAP. Alenko needs you now._

She frowned and started to walk back towards the CIC. “You have the bridge, Joker.”

“Aye, ma’am. The Doc is on her way…” the pilot called as EDI rose to follow.

“I will accompany you, Reese,” the AI said as she brought up security footage on her own omni tool.

Reese was about to object when she saw a blue glow building around Kaidan who was doubled over, his eyes screwed shut and his hands balled into fists. “Instruct Chakwas and the security team to standby on the engineering deck. Then clear the shuttle bay of all personnel. No one is authorized on that deck until I or Shepard say so.”

“Understood,” EDI in a faraway tone.

The first officer took a breath and then said, “EDI, look in my personal files under the file heading _berserker_. If I tell you to, initiate that protocol, but _only_ if I say so…And please, I only want you to know what goes on in the bay at least for now. I will inform Shepard of the details later. I promise.”

“Also, understood,” the AI said as the elevator headed for the engineering deck. “And Reese, good luck.”

The Lt. Cmdr. knew EDI was seeing to the situation on a different level. Reese on the other hand could only focus on how she could help Kaidan. _If_ she could help Kaidan. Especially since Shepard had messaged her like he had.

_Hold on, Kaidan. I’m coming._

``````````````````````

“Get away from me, Shepard!” Alenko yelled loudly as he waved off the Commander. His hand was the center of a blue ball of dark energy. Crates across the bay rattled every time the L2 gestured.

“Kaidan, we just want to help you…” the N7 tried again, unwilling to believe the other man had finally cracked. “We’re all under an enormous amount of pressure. Cracks are going to form…”

“I can’t afford to crack. If I do, it’ll be Jump Zero all over again,” the Major said with gritted teeth. “I can’t lose her—“

Shepard frowned and then said, “If you keep up like this, you’ll burn out. No one wants that. Especially her.”

“I…The migraines are getting worse…I have to concentrate more to maintain control…” Alenko admitted as he willed himself to look at his former CO. His voice little more than a labored whisper as he added, “I haven’t told her.”

“Maybe you should…But right _now_ you need to power down…”

Alenko’s eyes flashed as the elevator doors opened. Lt. Cmdr. Reese appeared, her face carefully neutral, her movements all business. “You called her down here. _WHY?_ I didn’t want her here!”

“Because she’s what you need, Kaidan. She helped you when Ash died; she can help you now…whether you like it or not,” the Commander explained as he made sure no one else was still in the bay.

“I told you _not_ to involve her!” the Major roared as crates began floating around the N7.

The containers started moving towards the CO when Reese shouted, “ _Kaidan Alenko!_ What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

The crates stopped in midair and dropped with a crash to the deck. His voice was low and dark as he said glaring at her, “You shouldn’t be here.”

“Too. Damn. Bad, Alenko,” she replied enunciating each word. Turning to Shepard she said, “We’ll be okay. You should go.”

“Reese?”

“I got this,” she reassured the N7.

Shepard glanced back at the other biotic and then nodded reluctantly. “Okay but call if you need us.”

“I promise. Now please go, Shepard. This is something I have to do alone,” she said quietly locking eyes with the Commander. “EDI is standing by with an emergency protocol in case I don’t…”

“Understood, LC,” Shepard said not letting her finish her thought and walked off towards the elevator.

Reese waited patiently as he left, her grey eyes moving to lock onto Kaidan’s whiskey ones now glowing blue. She was still half a cargo bay away from him. But she didn’t have to be a biotic to feel the dark energy rolling off him. It hummed against her skin and not in the good way she had come to associate with him. It was aggressive, harsh, and it took everything she had not to automatically raise her own barrier to counteract the effect. The thing was Kaidan had been the one to teach her to raise her barrier anytime she got a feeling like that. Now here she was attempting to talk him down without using her own biotics.

As the elevator doors shut, Kaidan repeated in a low tone, “You shouldn’t be here, Reese.”

“Like I said before, Too. Damn. Bad. Alenko,” she replied as she slowly started to walk toward him.

“ _Don’t_ ,” he yelled as he levitated some cargo crates to block her.

“Alenko, do you really think that is going to stop me? You trained me after all…” she asked as she started to walk around them.

“I don’t want to hurt you…” he pleaded.

“Then don’t. Tell me what’s goin’ on. Why are you glowing blue more than usual?” she asked using a little humor to hopefully defuse his temper.

“They’re dead, Kori. _All_ of them! We couldn’t save any of them! No one! Cerberus killed them all or took them away! That’s worse than being dead!” the Major shouted as the crates between them flew across the bay and crashed near Vega’s work station.

Reese flinched but stayed where she was. He felt helpless and it angered him. But something else was missing… Something else had set him off. _But what was it?_

“I know, Kaidan. I know. But you tried. You all tried so hard—"

“It wasn’t hard enough. What’s the point of being a Specter if you can’t save people?’ he retorted as his blue aura grew brighter.

He was at the limit of being able to control his biotics and his emotional control was no better. He had been on missions like this before. What was so different now?

“Kaidan—“

“Don’t ‘ _Kaidan’_ me! What’s the point of fighting for our survival if we’ll just end up fighting each other afterward? Treating each other like things to be used and experimented on?” he yelled, his expression frantic.

Reese had never seen him like that before. She had read case files on other L2 biotics who had become unstable but Kaidan…He was the exception to the L2 curse. But now…

His expression was wild, his hair wet with sweat, his biotics uncontrolled. If he didn’t power down soon he would burn out his amp and maybe worse. Why wouldn’t he let her help him?

She held up her hands and dropped any kind of pretense she had formulated. Openly showing her concern and confusion, Reese said, “You’re a good man, Kaidan. You’ve always made the right choices. When you’ve made mistakes, you’ve learned from it. You didn’t do anything wrong on this mission. We were too late. The Illusive Man got the jump on us…It’s not fair but it’s _not_ your fault.”

He shook his head. “You didn’t see it. Everything was ransacked. People killed where they stood. Others taken against their will…I’m a Specter. How is it _not_ my fault?”

“You can’t take all the blame…Why are you…Why do you think…” She couldn’t find the words to ask all the questions running through her mind.

“Why does that sadistic bastard, the Illusive Man, get to live and everyone else die? Why does he get what he wants and everyone else loses what they hold dear? Why is it happening all over again?” he yelled as tools from Vega’s workbench crashed to the floor.

Reese frowned. _Again?_ “Kaidan, what’s happening again?”

“The experiments…just like Conatix…to get human biotics. They destroyed people’s lives not to mention whole colonies to conduct their experiments…” he said his breath becoming labored.

 _Oh no…was he somehow associating everything that had happened with the failed Destiny Project?_ Her thoughts suddenly flashed on a conversation they had had on the SR1 after one of his headaches, the first time she had helped him with one.

Reese shook her head. “Don’t even think like that…You are the one who always reminds us that humans are capable of so much good. Don’t lose that faith now…I need that faith…I need _you_ …”

Alenko squeezed his eyes shut. “I can’t control it anymore. I let it slip…I got angry and just…I can’t get it back…”

“You’ll burn up your amp if you stay like this…I’ll lose you. TIM will win…Please, Kaidan!”

“I don’t think—“

“Let me help you like you helped me. I owe you for that even if I didn’t love you—“

“Kori—“

Despite his protests, she brought up her own barrier and began walking towards him. As she got closer, his blue aura began sparking against her more purple tinted one. He held up his hand and said, “Don’t come any closer…”

“I’ll use stasis…”

“We both knew you’re not strong enough to do that, Kaidan. Let me help you…I _can_ help—“

“How?”

“By syncing our biotics and helping you power down,” she said as she stood only a few feet from him. “You showed me how to do it on the SR1. You said it was rare for human biotics to be able to do it together, but we did…you and me.”

“It’ll be dangerous…I’m not in control—“

“You won’t hurt me. I believe that. I trust you but you have to trust me…”

“Even under…the most…ideal conditions…there’s always…a risk,” he wheezed out as he reinforced his barrier. “This isn’t…the time for…one of your…stunts.”

“Barring the fact I was just insulted by my boyfriend and the fact we did this as a training exercise on Earth with your Biotics students, you are going to do permanent harm to yourself if you don’t tamp down the biotics,” Reese replied feeling her patience start to run out. “You could even die, Alenko, and that is something I’m _not_ going to let happen.”

“You are…incredibly…stubborn,” Kaidan stated flatly.

“Look who I’m in love with. I have to be,” she quipped back as she gave him a smug look.

The Major glared at her as his barrier started to flash a darker blue. It was then that Reese made up her mind to go for broke no matter what Kaidan did or said. Keeping up her own barrier, she began walking the few feet between them.

Before he could object she said firmly, “Techboy, I’m about to do something impulsively stupid.”

“Kori, no,” he pleaded as he tried to back up. “ _Please_.”

“Too late,” she said as she cornered him against the shuttle, her purple tinted barrier sparking against his blue one.

For several long moments she simply stood there, watching him fight her. Ever so slowly she moved her hands to cup his face as much as his barrier would allow. “Kaid,” she soothed. “I need you to trust me. We can do this. You can get control again…over both you biotics and your emotions. But you’re going to have to trust me.”

“Everything’s happening again—“ he said as he squeezed his eyes shut.

“No, Kaidan. We are going to stop it this time,” she replied firmly.

“What if Cerberus had something to do with Conatix back then?” he suddenly shouted. “Then they did this to both of us?”

His aura flashed a brighter blue, but Reese stood her ground. He might have had a point but that wasn’t her concern at the moment. Keeping Kaidan safe was.

“If that’s true, it’s just one more reason to put a boot up TIM’s ass, but right now I want you to focus on me,” she ordered.

His eyes darted to meet hers. Reese watched as he struggled to focus on her. After several long seconds, his eyes finally locked in on hers. She gave him a reassuring smile. “Kaidan, please. We’ve been through so much. I don’t want to lose you now. Please come back to me.”

“ _Kori_ ,” he whispered as his barrier weakened and she was finally able to touch his face.

“That’s it, Kaid. Focus on us. Match my barrier…”

Slowly the Major’s biotic energy merged with hers, enveloping both into one single barrier field. Reese could immediately feel the imbalance in Kaidan’s own biotics. She began massaging his temples as she concentrated on managing their conjoined field. Slowly his biotics became completely in tune with hers.

His whiskey colored eyes never left hers. His hands eventually found their way to her shoulders. Gripping her for support, he leaned his forehead against hers. Between labored breaths he whispered, “Kori, I can’t let them hurt you…”

“You won’t but you need to rest now. Please, Kaidan,” she replied softly a she slowly powered down their barrier.

“I want to protect you…and everyone else…It’s why I became a Specter…even with Udina’s sponsorship…” he explained willing her to understand why.

She smiled at him. “And you will. I know you will. But right now you need to take care of yourself, techboy.”

He finally gave her a nod and a weak smile. “Aye, aye ma’am.”

Reese kissed his lips lightly as she dropped the field completely. Kaidan suddenly pitched forward, leaning on her completely for support. She shifted his weight as best she could to hold him more securely.

Opening her omni tool’s comm she said, “Okay, you guys can come in now. He’s not a threat anymore.”

“Acknowledged,” EDI replied. “Disengaging requested protocols.”

Kaidan grunted as she ran a hand through his dark hair. Eyeing the strands of grey, she said quietly to him, “It’s my turn to take care of you, techboy.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I took some creative liberties with how biotics work. I did a bunch of research on different sites as well as fan metadata. I just thought it would be interesting for biotics to be able to synch their abilities and it be a rare occurrence. I didn't read anything saying it couldn't occur so here's my head canon on biotics ;)


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> @@@smut in the last section after Reese finds Kaidan in the lounge@@@

****

**_Monday, Nov. 27, 2186, SSV Normandy SR2 leaving Angel One colony_ **

“What happened, Dr. Chakwas? Kaidan’s never done anything like that,” Shepard said as he rubbed his shoulder.

When the Commander had attempted to help his friend, the L2 had biotically thrown him against the other side of the shuttle, dislocating his shoulder. Garrus had suffered a bruised mandible from a biotic punch when he had tried to restrain him. Both considered themselves lucky Alenko hadn’t done more damage.

“The Major does not have a history of violent outbursts save Jump Zero. But that incident was the reason for his caution and self-control. Something must have occurred on the last mission to trigger this,” Chakwas said as she looked over his test results.

Reese sat on the side of the bed that Kaidan laid in, lightly running her fingers through his short dark hair. Chakwas had sedated him and would keep him like that for the next 24 hours. He had come close to putting himself in a coma because of how far he had taxed his biotics. Reese was just thankful she had been able to talk him down and EDI’s backup plan had been unnecessary.

“The mission was one of the worst ones of the war so far and Cerberus was involved. They collected the colonists and refugees for Reaper experiments. Those that resisted were killed; it didn’t matter their age,” Shepard replied as he looked over at the two biotics.

Eyeing his first officer, he added, “He muttered something about not letting it happen again and having to protect her. Is it possible he meant Jump Zero and Rahna?”

Reese sighed as the doctor shook her head. “I simply don’t know, Commander. We will have to wait to ask him until the sedative wears off.”

The Lt. Cmdr. knew she owed her CO answers and now was as good a time as any. With what had transpired, she was pretty sure Kaidan would be okay with her divulging the details. She shifted her position to look at him but never left Kaidan’s side. “Commander, it has to do with Conatix—what they did to the students who were forced to go to Jump Zero and the accidents they had after the first-generation biotics were born.”

“What does that have to do with our last mission?” Shepard asked rotating his sore shoulder.

“Stop that, Commander, or I’ll have to put your arm in a sling,” the doctor scolded.

“Yes, ma’am,” he replied waiting for an explanation for his normally calm and controlled friend’s violent behavior.

“From what I did get out of it, Kaidan is comparing what Cerberus is doing to the colonies with Reaper tech to what Conatix would have done to create more advanced human biotics,” she said, knowing questions about how that could be possible to be asked. She had fielded questions about the subject for years now from skeptical people. But this was Kaidan and she would make sure Shepard understood and believed it.

“But after it was discovered what they had done when all those kids were born like Kaidan they were stopped,” Shepard protested, visibly trying not to roll his shoulder again as Chakwas looked on.

Reese shook her head. “Not really, Commander. They waited and bided their time. No more ‘accidents’ occurred on Earth.”

“On Earth?”

“Yeah, you see I wasn’t born a biotic like Kaidan,” she explained further as her free hand glowed bluish purple for emphasis. “I didn’t have this particular talent until right before my 14th birthday.”

“Puberty?” Shepard asked.

“No, Commander. Biotic children have biotics from the day they are born. As they grew older their powers and control grows almost proportionally. Sometimes puberty _does_ bring on a vast increase in ability, but the biotics never just switch on.”

He nodded as he asked, “I thought you were from Earth.”

“No, I was born on Moirae. The first and only planet to be terraformed using the Destiny plan thanks to Conatix,” she replied as her hand drifted down to grasp Kaidan’s unconscious one.

“The eezo accident…a cargo ship leaked eezo into the atmosphere…” Shepard said remembering hearing the news reports.

“It _wasn’t_ an accident, Commander. It was a Conatix shuttle and because of the way the terraforming was done on Moirae, eezo had to be shipped under quarantine guidelines through the upper atmosphere. The shuttle leak was engineered to happen but not at that altitude. Instead of a ‘normal’ accident, pardon the phrasing, Conatix supercharged the nanomachines tasked to create oxygen in the upper atmosphere and destroyed the colony. Everyone was exposed to super high levels of eezo because we all breathed in the nanites everyday with every breath. It was too much for most of the colony…Only 5% survived and every one of the survivors developed biotics within 6 months.”

Shepard frowned. “Weren’t all the survivors teenagers?”

“Between the ages of 12 and 15…Everyone else died…” she said quietly averting her eyes. She had only ever talked about it once before with Kaidan. She hadn’t even talked to Mike about it…

She shook her head. “Anyway, the way it was explained to me was, the 5% that survived all were going through puberty and contained certain markers in their DNA that adapted to the eezo levels—hence suddenly biotic. It was later discovered that we all were _second_ exposure biotics.”

She looked back at the sleeping Major. “In his own way, Kaidan’s been trying to protect me just like he did Rahna. He doesn’t want anything like what happened before to happen again. He’s being overprotective because of what happened after the SR1 went down. I thought we had dealt with it but I guess I was wrong—"

She suddenly felt a hand on her shoulder. “This war has been hard on _all_ of us. Kaidan has always hidden what hurts him—You two will get through this. But I need both of you at the top of your game. Understood, LC?”

Reese looked up at her CO and gave him a small smile. “Understood, sir.”

“Good. Now get some sleep. With your boyfriend out of commission for a while you might get to on some missions as tech help,” the N7 said as he moved to leave.

Reese narrowed her eyes. “He won’t like that.”

“Are you going to let the Major tell you what to do?”

“He does outrank me, sir.”

“Last time I checked, I’m your CO, you’re an N6, _and_ you don’t give a damn.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Good. You need to flex those N6 muscles any way. Besides if Alenko wanted to go he shouldn’t have decided to take a nap…” Shepard commented with a shrug and then a wince.

Reese arched an eyebrow as she looked at him critically. “Are _you_ going to tell him that when he wakes up?”

“Hell, no. I think _this_ is enough,” the Commander said pointing at his shoulder. “He’s _your_ boyfriend. _You_ handle him.”

Reese shook her head as Shepard left. At least he wasn’t angry just concerned. She turned back to Kaidan and sighed. Nothing was ever easy.

“Get some sleep like the Commander said,” Chakwas gently ordered from her desk. “EDI or I will let you know if anything changes. He’s stable and resting now. He’ll be fine. He’s strong, hard-headed, and he has you.”

“Thanks, Doctor. I’ll check in before my duty shift tomorrow just because…you know,” Reese replied as she rose from the bed.

“I know, dear,” the doctor said with a saged grin.

Reese gave the older woman a smile and turned back to Kaidan. She lightly kissed his forehead as she whispered. “Everything’s going to be fine, techboy. Now behave. I’ll see you later.”

He seemed to sigh but she wasn’t sure. Either way she chose to take it as meaning he had heard her.

As she left the medbay, she opened up her omni tool and typed out a quick message to Kaidan. She knew he wouldn’t read it until he woke up. But just in case she weren’t there, he would know she was thinking about him. That she was always thinking about him.

_‘You. Next to me. That’s all I want.’_

*****

**_Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2186, SSV Normandy SR2, Pylos Nebula_ **

Kaidan woke up in a familiar bed with something soft and warm spooned up to his left side. He blinked back the sleep and glanced around the room. Only the soft white light from a computer terminal running numbers lit the room. He looked down and saw Reese resting on his chest, her hair in a loose pony tail. She wore one of his tee shirts and lay above the covers, a data pad still in her hand.

He smiled and kissed the crown of her head. She had fallen asleep doing research again. She never listened to his lectures on over doing it. That she had nothing to prove. But it was Kori. She’d do what she wanted to get whatever needed to be done— _done_.

He laid there stroking her hair trying to remember when his next duty shift was. If Kori was asleep it wasn’t for a while…

He suddenly glanced at the chrono on the side table and saw the date. Two days form the last time he remembered…

_Angel One, Cerberus, the colony gone…protect her…_

Kaidan went stiff as a board as he remembered the events during and after his last mission. Kori had talked him down despite his protests and efforts to dissuade her. He squeezed his eyes shut and took a ragged breath. He was with Kori in their cabin. Everything had turned out fine. Hadn’t it?

She must have felt him fidgeting because she slowly woke up, fighting back a yawn as she looked up at him.

“Hey,” she called softly, her eyes still heavy with sleep. “You okay?”

“Ummm, yeah, I guess…” he said uncertainly.

She sat up when she heard the confusion in his voice. Smiling reassuringly at him, she said, “It’s okay, Kaidan. You’ve just been out for almost two days. Chakwas said rest was the best thing for you so she sedated you totally for 24 hours and then gave you something to help you sleep once you were released from medbay.”

“Two days?” he echoed. Had it been that bad?

“Yeah, but everything’s okay now. You’re okay,” she said sitting on her knees beside him.

Kaidan looked at her and then glanced around the room. When he finally looked back at her, he reached for her. “You’re okay? I didn’t hurt you…”

She smiled at him as she leaned into his outstretched hand. “On no, Kaidan. You didn’t hurt me. You scared the hell out of me, but you didn’t hurt me…Just like I knew you wouldn’t.”

Alenko grazed his thumb lightly across her lips as he searched her eyes for any hint of her keeping something from him. Her grey eyes only held truth and a desire to see him well. “Sometimes you know me better than I know myself, sweetheart.”

“I know,” Reese replied with a cheeky grin as she leaned forward and kissed him gently.

Kaidan sighed as she settled down against him again, this time under the blanket. He held her tightly as he played with her hair. He tried to relax as a million questions raced through his mind. Where should he start?

“Kaid, I know that brain of yours is working overtime right now. But trust me…Everyone is okay, and we _will_ get Cerberus…for everything they’ve done. But I don’t want to talk about it now…We will in the morning…About everything. I promise.”

“Okay,” he said simply as a faint memory of a text came to him. _‘You. Next to me. That’s all I want.’_ He sighed realizing it had been a message from Kori he’d received when he’d woken up after the sedative. He could agree with her more. Her soft voice filtered through his thoughts as sleep came back to him.

“I love you, Kaidan.”

“I love you too, Kori, always.”

~~~~~~

Reese was awakened from a very restful sleep several hours later by a chirp from her omni tool. Moving carefully so as not to wake up Kaidan, she opened the comm line. She found Shepard staring at her with a half grin.

“Commander?”

“Sorry to wake you up, LC, but Hackett just gave us a new side assignment a few hours ago. We’re heading to Noveria. Should be there in less than two hours.”

“Okay, so?”

“So I was going to head the mission but Chakwas won’t lift my medical restrictions just yet. So I need you to do it…”

Reese glanced over at a sleeping Alenko. “What else is there, Shepard?”

“It’s another Cerberus base researching Reaper tech…”

“Of course it is—“

“Reese, if there were another way…”

“No, Shepard. It’s fine. Kaidan knows it has to be this way. We’ll deal…I’ll be in the briefing room in 20.”

“Alright, LC. And Vega and Garrus will be going with you unless you rather pick another team…”

“No, those two pack enough firepower to take out the entire base by themselves.”

“Alright, Reese. See you in 20 then. Shepard out.”

Reese switched off her omni tool and looked over at Kaidan. She smiled lovingly at him and kissed his forehead. She slowly, carefully disengaged herself from his arms. Thankfully, he didn’t wake up as she moved about the cabin collecting her gear.

She thought about waking him to tell him what was going on but decided he needed the rest. Instead she’d instruct EDI to tell him whatever he wanted to know later. Lying to him or hiding things from him now was _not_ the way to start off the day. They would sort out the fallout from the last mission when Kaidan was better and she knew what to say.

For now she would focus on the mission and keeping her team safe while kicking some more Cerberus ass.

*****

**_Thursday, Nov. 30, 2186, SSV Normandy SR2, Noveria, Pax System, Horse Head Nebula_ **

“Hey Kaidan, just thought I’d check in,” Reese called as she walked through the doors to the observation lounge, his second favorite place to relax.

“Mmm, I’m glad. Say, you ah, left without waking me this morning,” the Major replied as she neared the chair he was lounging. He had been reading a book from the ship’s library, but Reese was a welcome interruption.

“Didn’t have the heart,” the Lt. Cmdr. explained not needing to mention the previous mission. “You looked so adorable sleeping how could I interrupt that?”

He reached up and wrapped his fingers around her wrist, tugging her down. She fell into his lap comfortably and curled against his chest. “I’m glad I’m so irresistibly adorable when I sleep, but next time, wake me.”

She hummed a noncommittal answer and nuzzled into his neck, breathing his familiar scent in. “It was a thing on Noveria.” She gave him a weak, playful poke to the chest as she teased, “Shepard didn’t want you getting snow in your boots again.”

His chuckle rumbled in his chest and she smiled at the sound. How she had missed it for the past two days. She had missed _him_. She had missed this. 

She pressed herself closer to him, reaching one hand up to cup his head as she pressed her lips to his neck in a quick kiss. “Vega was itching to shoot something, and Shepard decided I should flex my new N6 muscles. Apparently before everything went to hell, Vega had received an N school invite.”

“Wait! Vega? He’s gun-ho and impulsive? Is that a good idea?”

She laughed quietly against his neck. “I seem to remember you making a similar comment about someone who’s an N6 now. Besides Shepard’s his mentor not me. He’s probably a better choice, him being an N7 _and_ a Specter. I just got tutored by an in-the-making Specter.”

“Hey,” he protested, his voice low and amused. “I resent that.”

She laughed quietly again as Kaidan added, “You know you can tell me it was a Cerberus base. I won’t break at the mention of it.”

“I know. I just don’t want to talk about them right now. I want to focus on _us_ ,” she replied tiredly and huddled closer. One of his hands rubbed soothing circles against her back, the other was heavy and warm on her hip. She sighed contentedly enjoying his caresses, the quiet room, and his steady soothing heartbeat against her ear. It was these moments that had become her fuel for the long road still ahead. How she ever kept away from him while he was in the hospital, she had no idea. Since reconciling most of their differences or problems, they had fallen into a familiar routine, a comfortable space that was just for the two of them. Their first night together had been tentative, tender in rediscovering each other… But with careful exploration, they had found that although a lot of things had changed, so much had stayed the same. The time apart had forged their bond deeper and stronger and it had become as vital to her as breathing. 

The calming rhythm of his hand on her back, his warmth encircling her, and his breath against her hair lulled her into complete state of relaxation. Her eyes drifted shut and they didn’t open until much later, when she heard the hum of her terminal running numbers again and her skin being exposed to the cool air of the ship.

“Hey, sorry. I was trying not to wake you.”

She sat up groggily, running a hand through her dark hair and over her face. She realized quickly she was back in their quarters and on her bed. “Did you bring me over here?” 

She dropped her hand to her lap and peered around the room. She felt drained, but the sleepiness slipped away when she realized Kaidan was in front of her in nothing but his boxers, his hands on her bare skin, peeling away her uniform. She could have sworn he looked slightly guilty and her lips curved upward in amusement.

“Trying to take advantage of me, Major?” she asked, one eyebrow raised. 

He shook his head. “You fell asleep, I figured you needed the rest and I, uh, _didn’t have the heart to wake you_.”

She smiled at hearing her words repeated back to her. He sat down on the bed beside her and brushed the hair out of her eyes in a tender gesture that made her heart sing. 

“Do you want anything? Food? Or a shower?” he asked sincerely as if the past 72 hours had been a cake walk.

Reese sat quietly for a moment taking in his actions. He had been through so much on his last mission and the aftermath back on the Normandy hadn’t exactly been pretty. And yet here he was worrying about her needs. She was a lucky woman…

She studied him in the dim light of the cabin. The blue of her computer monitors cast shadows over the planes of his body, outlining very muscle, every dip and hollow. He really was magnificent and suddenly her tiredness faded away completely, a very specific need coming to mind. 

“I can think of one thing I want,” she said softly.

His lips curved in the dark and she lifted her hands, hurriedly shucking the last remnants of her clothes until she was completely naked. She opened her arms to him, and he came to her gladly, slipping his bare arms around her body and pressing his mouth to hers in a mind-numbing kiss. 

She fell back on the bed, pulling him with her as she sank backwards into the pillows and cool sheets. He held himself above her, resting his weight on his forearms as his hands cupped her face. She felt the tenderness in his touch and the emotion in his kiss and responded with her own, her tongue teasing and caressing his. She ran her fingers over his broad shoulders, over the smooth taut skin of his back feeling his muscles tense and relax under her touch. His tongue delved deeper into her mouth. Their kisses were intoxicating, sending bolts of electricity down through her limbs, making them heavily and languid. She exhaled softly when his mouth moved across her cheek and down her neck to trace the line of her collarbone. He murmured sweet nothings as she arched her body back slowly. Flames of desire started to flare sharply in her belly.

“Kaidan,” she sighed his name, a warm breath on her lips.

She felt his weight shift and the mattress dip slightly as he nudged open her legs with his knee and settled between them. His growing arousal left no doubt of his intentions as it pushed against the apex of her thighs. She lifted her hips, pressing herself against him in an unspoken invitation. He was hard and ready for her. Reese’s breath trembled as his exploring lips travelled lower and lower. 

His tongue swirled over the sensitive nubs of her nipples as his battle-hardened hands cupped the swell of her breasts. He moved his head from side to side, lavishing each breast a few moments at a time. The cool air of the cabin clashed with the warm moisture left by his mouth, causing them to harden into proud peaks and making her moan. She clutched at him as the yearning built inside her. One of his hands trailed down her body, over her taut stomach, over the soft flare of her hips and down her inner thigh. She trembled in anticipation as his lips moved away from her breasts, following the path of his hands and skimming over her warm skin. She gasped as the heat built, the dull throb of longing between her legs growing more and more intense until it threatened to consume her. She felt him smile against her hip as she moaned wordlessly and writhed under his touch. She was desperately seeking something more, desperately searching for that elusive release as she burned under his caress. He played her beautifully, knowing exactly when to rush, when to pull back, when to caress, when to sooth. She was utterly under his command, offering him her complete surrender as she begged him for more, for fulfillment.

She almost cried out in relief when one of his fingers found her core and traced the evidence of her arousal. He gently parted her wet folds and slipped his finger slipped inside as he pressed a warm kiss to the skin of her belly. She gasped and shuddered in pleasure at the dual vibrations, his fingers teasing her and the stubble of his cheeks brushing her tender skin. Her fingers tightened in his hair and she resisted the urge to grip even harder, lost in the sensations he created for her. He had strung her so tightly she would need only the smallest push to send her over the edge. She moaned his name. It was too much; she couldn’t bear it. 

“Kaidan, _please_ ,” she begged.

He leaned forward and pressed a kiss to her belly again. “Tell me, Kori. Tell me what you want,” he rasped, his voice rougher than usual with need. “I need to know.”

She opened her eyes and her gaze locked with his. His whiskey-colored eyes were dark and heavily lidded with desire.

“Please, Kaidan, I need you,” she whispered, totally at his mercy.

He slipped his hand away from her and rose from the bed shedding his boxers in one fluid movement. She barely had a chance to register his loss before she felt his silky head at her entrance. His large hands grasped her hips as he guided himself inside, sheathing himself until he was lost completely within her. She sighed in pure unadulterated bliss as he filled her and stretched her, and she savored the deep satisfaction of having him exactly where he belonged. She wrapped her arms around him, finding his muscles hard with the tension of trying to hold onto his control. For an instant more, he held himself still before starting to move in a longing rhythm against her. She cried out as his smooth pounding tempo sent her flying over the edge, her body exploding in a swelling of release and pleasure. 

He followed not long after, pushed over the edge himself when she lifted her legs and wrapped them around him. She anchored him as he shuddered, a faint flicker of a blue glow coating his skin as he lost complete control, losing himself inside her. His passion crested in a final trembling wave and at its conclusion, his head sagged to her shoulder. She cradled his head lovingly on her chest as she waited for their heart rates to return to normal and they drifted on a sea of drowsy contentment.

“I love you, Kori.”

Her arms tightened around him as she replied with a sated grin. “I love you, too. But next time, wake me.”


	13. Chapter 13

**_2183, Citadel, Widow System, Serpent Nebula_ **

_The Normandy had been docked at the Citadel for a few hours for resupply and a briefing with Anderson that Shepard had arranged. Since they would probably be there for a couple days, Reese had decided to ask for a day of shore leave. The Lt. had no real plan; she just wanted off the ship for a little while. She didn’t mind being around the crew but every once in a while she just wanted to be alone. After picking up Dr. T’soni and figuring out what the Prothean Beacon had put in the Commander’s head, the tech had decided some down time was in order. She had no idea how the N7 coped with everything; and most of it had happened to him._

_She had spent hours that morning wandering the shops just window shopping. She hadn’t bought anything. Of course the shops she had gone to were the tech stores. She really had no interest in clothes shopping…despite what Ashley Williams had said. However, she currently found herself standing in the middle of the clothing stores she had tried to avoid._

_Reese sighed and realized she was hopeless. In the back of her mind she had been wondering what kind of clothes would catch the Lt.’s eye. She had been working with Alenko since they had been assigned to the SR1 and they had become friends. He was smart, capable, compassionate, loyal, levelheaded, and hot…How could she not wonder what kind of women he was into…Assuming he was into women…_

_Reese winkled her nose. Nothing against him if he swung the opposite way, but it would ruin her fantasy…Oh well to each there own._

_“What’s that face for, Reese?” a familiar voice called from behind her across the corridor._

_She felt her breath catch in her chest. Oh shit… What the hell is he doing here?_

_Quickly she composed herself, hoping desperately that she didn’t look guilty. She met his eyes with her own. He was smiling at her as he came to a stop in front of her. “I, ummm, realized I was in the clothes shops. That’s all.”_

_“What’s so bad about that?” he asked innocently. His expression told her he had no idea that she hated shopping._

_“Nothing. If you like buying clothes. I guess,” she commented as she waved vaguely in the direction of the shop windows._

_“And you don’t,” he replied with a half grin._

_“No, I don’t. I’d rather be sifting through tech any day,” she shrugged._

_He looked passed her to the air traffic beyond. He shifted almost nervously as he stuck his hands in his pockets. He still wore his blue BDUs but sported a black jacket over his uniform. Regardless, he still looked incredible. Reese mentally kicked herself. Focus Reese._

_“Lt., are you okay?” she asked instead, actually wondering what was on his mind and why he happened to be in the same place as she was._

_“Umm, well, yeah,” he said, not meeting her gaze. “The Commander suggested_ strongly _that I take shore leave…”_

_Reese frowned. What was so bad about shore leave? She wasn’t an expert at it, but it wasn’t that bad. What he mumbled next caught her attention though. “I think Ashley had something to do with it…”_

_“Okay…so what’s the problem?” she asked confused._

_He finally looked over at her with an embarrassed grin. “I_ don’t _take shore leave.”_

_“Really? And you say I don’t know how to relax…” she commented almost under her breath._

_“You don’t,” he said as he exhaled sharply. “But I don’t know how to take shore leave…even for a day.”_

_Reese shook her head. Sometimes Alenko could be quite unintentionally funny. “So what? You find me to give you lessons? Wouldn’t that be the blind leading the blind?”_

_She saw the L2 biotic’s expression fall for just a second until his controlled façade returned. She frowned as he said, “I actually thought you might want some company. I’m sorry if I misinterpreted our conversations…”_

_He turned to leave but was stopped by a hand lightly touching his arm. “Lt., I’m sorry about that. Its--That’s not what I meant…I mean I didn’t actually think you’d_ want _to spend time with me off duty. You said you’re not a people person when we first met.”_

_He turned back to her and looked at her hand resting on his forearm. “I’m not—generally, but you seem to have grown on me…”_

_She flashed him a big smile as he asked quietly, “Think we could figure this shore leave thing out together?”_

_“Well, yeah, I heard about a café that serves killer steak sandwiches…” she replied as his face lit up._

_“Steak sandwiches? Really?” he echoed his interest piqued._

_“Yeah,” she answered as he took her hand in his. “Guaranteed to be just like Earth.”_

_“Lead the way, Lt.,” he said gesturing with their intertwined hands._

_“Aye, aye, sir,” she replied feeling excited and nervous that the Lt. was willing to spend the day with her. As he followed, Reese wondered what exactly she had gotten herself into._

_………_

_Reese put down her drink as she watched Alenko finish the last bite of his second steak sandwich. She smiled. They had talked about things other than the mission and it had been nice. He had shown a side of himself she didn’t know about. He actually had a sense of humor and was into 20 th century movies and music. He’d grown up in Vancouver and was an only child. He had told him about her family—being from Atlanta, Georgia—raised at least—though she was born off world and that she her mother’s side of the family had a long-standing history of not going off world. Like her parents, she had broken that tradition. It had become even more evident that they were both huge techno geeks._

_“What are you smiling at?” the L2 biotic asked as he wiped his mouth._

_“Nothing really…Just…It’s nice to be off duty with you…Lt,” she replied not really sure how that sounded._

_Alenko frowned for a second. “You know if we do this more often calling each other ‘_ Lt _.’ is going to get confusing.”_

_“Well, if that were to be the case, what am I supposed to call you then?” she asked playing his game. He did have a playful side it seemed, at least when away from the Normandy and their duties._

_“I have a name…” Alenko remarked in a dead pan voice._

_“So do I, but I don’t really use it because of…things,” She said, growing quiet. She really didn’t want to go into why she didn’t use Kora._

_Shrugging the Canadian Lt. pointed out, “Well, we have last names…”_

_“Ummm, yes,” she replied as if he were suddenly not as bright as she knew him to be. “I think I may have picked up on that…”_

_“Look, I just thought that maybe we didn’t have to be so formal off duty. That’s all—“_

_“I think I’d like that…” She said quickly before she realized what she’d said._

_He gave her a broad grin. “Reese and Alenko then?”_

_“Reese and Alenko.”_

_…………._

_The two biotics from the Normandy leaned against a railing overlooking the space port. It was surprisingly quiet as they watched the ships come and go. They remained like that for a long time just enjoying the view and each other’s company._

_After a while Kaidan turned to the younger woman and just looked at her. Really looked at her. Her brown hair was down, and she was dressed in a blue tee shirt with an Alliance logo and jeans. It was simple but he had never seen her out of uniform. He found himself liking it. He found himself liking her…a lot._

_“Ummm, yes?” she called out, bringing him out of his revelry._

_“I, ah, sorry. I was thinking,” he replied as he looked quickly back at the ships. He knew his face was turning red.._

_“Ummm, what were you thinking_ about _?” she asked as she shifted her position to face him._

_“N—nothing,” he replied not sure how to proceed. He had just wanted to spend some time off the ship with the Lt. JG. Get to know her better. She seemed like someone he could get used to being around._

_“Okay, Alenko. Only a coward says nothing. And last time I checked you weren’t a coward,” she said with a smirk._

_He looked at her with a raised eyebrow, his tone playful. “Last time you checked? Have you been checking me out, Reese?”_

_“I, ummm, you know what I mean…”she stammered and the growled. Damn his handsome features, his whiskey brown eyes, and that smirk…_

_“I guess I do but I was just thinking that it was really nice spending time with you...too.” Kaidan admitted softly, his gaze flickering from the space port to her. “I liked it…a lot.”_

_“I did too.”_

_“Maybe we could do it again?” His voice sounded so hopeful. How could she turn him down? But the reality of their mission might prevent that…_

_“We don’t know when we’ll get shore leave again.”_

_Undeterred, he suggested, “What if it didn’t have to be on shore leave? We could do stuff off duty.”_

_“What kind of stuff?”_

_“Joker’s movie night?”_

_“Really?” Reese asked, realizing how much she had wanted him to keep pushing the idea._

_“I’m not asking for your hand in marriage or anything Reese.”_

_“No I get that,” she replied quickly. Maybe a little too quickly. “I just didn’t think you were the type to do things with people.”_

_Kaidan shook his head, his eyes locking with hers. “You’re not just people, Reese.”_

_“I think I might like that.”_

_Alenko put a hand over hers and squeezed lightly. “I’m glad to hear that…” he replied looking at her again. His other hand moved to push a loose strand of hair back behind her ear. “You should wear your hair down more often.”_

_“It’s against regs,” she pointed out weakly. He liked her hair?_

_“Not when you’re off duty…”_

_“Alenko, if I didn’t know better, I’d say you were flirting with me.” Surely he wasn’t. He was a good officer, a model biotic. Everything the Alliance wanted in its people. But…_

_“Good thing you know me better,” he said with a smile. She was doomed._

_She returned the smile as they turned back to the space port. Reese wasn’t sure but she could have sworn he had winked at her. Either way she was perfectly content with the way her shore leave had ended._

******

**_Tuesday, Dec. 5, 2186, SSV Normandy SR2, Dholen System, Far Rim_ **

“This is crazy, even by my standards,” Reese commented more to herself than anyone as she fiddled with another piece of equipment that had seen better days. Down in the ‘hole’ as it had become known, the tech often sought solitude there when things were complicated. Footsteps and possessive hands on her hips told her she was definitely not alone in the unused space below engineering.

“If you mean the circus upstairs I will agree with you 100%,” Kaidan said as he nuzzled her neck.

The Major had become increasingly affectionate since the mission to Angel One. Reese supposed it was his way of coping and apologizing for what had happened. She didn’t mind it really and usually eagerly returned the gesture or at the very least acknowledged it. At the moment she found it relaxing and leaned into his chest as his arms wrapped around his waist.

“Tali said things were bad but this is ridiculous. Why retake Rannoch now? Especially when the Quarians know the Geth are being reinforced by the Reapers. It makes no damn sense at all,” Reese replied as she dropped the piece of useless tech.

“It’s war. Nothing makes any sense,” he said as he resting his chin on her shoulder. “But I think for the Admirals it’s a saving face thing now more than it is about actually retaking their homeworld. They don’t want to look weak and since they have connections to Shepard through Tali they have a wild card. There fleet is something he needs…”

“So we do their dirty work, Shepard gets the fleet, but the Admirals get to take the credit,” she said turning her head slightly towards him.

“That about sums it up, sweetheart,” he confirmed as he gave her a gentle squeeze.

“Poor Tali. She told me she was doing all she could do to keep the Board from making a terrible mistake. Hopefully, Shepard can help her…” the ops officer observed.

“I think I heard Shep say that Tali had hoped to come aboard the Normandy for a while after the mission here was complete. You two could put your heads together on the Reaper Code inhibitor you’ve been working on. You can get all geeky and nerdy…”

Reese frowned. “Why do I think you’re trying to make that sound sexy and failing miserably?”

“That did sound really bad didn’t it?”

“Yep. Maybe that stint in the hospital made you rusty. You need to start practicing again.”

“Does that mean you plan on sticking things out with me for a while?”

“Well, I think we have already established that. Haven’t we?” she said eyeing sharply. Was he doubting again?

“I think we have…I guess I just wanted to check. You since everything happened…” He glanced down at the deck plates.

“Kaidan, you have nothing to worry about. I’m still here,” she reassured him as she extended her arm to place a hand at the base of his skull. “And like I told you on the SR1, I’m here for you…always.”

“I know that, Kori. It’s just since…I just want you to be safe.”

“You know we both have taken oaths to protect others and that involves placing ourselves in danger. We both know this, and we knew it going into this relationship…” Reese remined him gently. She thought for a moment and then added, “I think that maybe our run on the SR1 was kind of like a trial run.”

Kaidan frowned as she turned to face him, his arms still around her waist. “Trial run?”

“Yeah, you remember that conversation we had after I jumped out of the back of this thing?” she asked gently pounding the nearby bulkhead.

“What? The one where you remembered I told you that I loved you? Ummm, yeah, I think I might remember that, Kori,” he replied with a wry grin. “You said not everything works on a prototype.”

“Exactly. I think that we weren’t really ready for a committed relationship. We wanted to be but we both still had some things to figure out. Just like you said on Earth,” she said feeling like she had finally put two and two together.

His whiskey colored eyes locked with hers. He knew it too. Echoing his words from Earth, he whispered, “We had the right love at the wrong time.”

Reese nodded. “As painful as the time apart was, I think it made both of us stronger…so we could face the things we’d have to later… _together_.”

“But I walked out on you, giving you that stupid reason of not wanting to hurt you and I did anyway. I mean how are we supposed to be together when I had convinced myself that I was no good for you without letting you have a say. I was so stupid back then and then I didn’t do anything to get you back. If I hadn’t bumped into you in the hall at Alliance HQ—”

Suddenly he found himself being kissed hard by Reese. She quickly snaked her arms around his neck and pulled him roughly against her. Between kisses, she said, “Don’t you ever think like that again. You got me, Alenko?”

“Kori,” he murmured as he grabbed her by her hips and pushed her against the workbench forcefully. “Forgive me, please? Please forgive me for being so stupid, for leaving you, for hurting you, for not trusting you like I should, for not telling you that I loved you on the original Normandy. Pleeease…”

“Oh, Kaidan,” Reese whispered as she held him tightly to her. He had a death grip around her, like he was afraid if he let go she would disappear. Had this been what he had been holding in all this time and she hadn’t known…

“Kaidan you have to forgive yourself too. We both made mistakes. But we’re here now, together. We agreed to moved passed everything, remember? We started over. We’ll make mistakes but we’re in this together and we’ll get through everything together this time.”

“You believe that?”

“Yes.”

“Then so do I.”

They held each other for several long moments as they listened to the sounds of the Normandy and their own hearts beating. Finally the Major pulled back just enough to say, “We should probably go help Tali and Shepard. You know, stop the Admirals from doing something stupid, stop the Geth, help a friend, get a monster fleet of ships to help fight the Reapers…Do all the things we were trained to do and then some.”

“You must have gotten your training from some place different than me,” she observed looking up at him.

He shrugged. “Well, I did do a lot of traveling before I joined the Alliance.”

“Maybe you could tell me about it sometime…”

“Maybe…”

“We’ll make time to talk Kaidan. I promise. And nothing is going to come between us this time. I’m not leaving, and neither are you.”

“I know. I just--”

“All senior officers to the briefing room ASAP…” Shepard’s voice boomed over the comm system interrupting their moment.

Reese snorted and said, “Duty calls, techboy.”

“Yeah…” Kaidan agreed distractedly, his hold on her still tight.

“Kaidan, are you alright?” She asked not sure if she’d get a genuine answer. “You’ve been anxious the past few days…”

“It’s nothing. Just wanting to get some payback, I guess.” He didn’t make eye contact with her.

“Are you sure? You’re usually not waiting for a fight. That’s more Vega and Garrus territory.”

“It’s just that—“

“That call included you two as well,” a slightly annoyed voice came over the comm. It was Shepard and while he had cut them some slack, his tone let them know it was not the time to indulge in it.

“Aye, sir. I apologize. We are on our way presently,” Reese replied for both of them as she locked eyes with Kaidan. He stood there in front of her with an uneasy expression on his handsome face.

“Good. You two can play kissy face later. We have a major problem. I need both of you up here two minutes ago,” the Commander said in a tight tone. He ended the comm before either biotic could reply.

Reese looked at the Major and grabbed his hand. “Let’s go.”

He moved slowly, almost robotically as she pulled him to the stairs. “Reese, there’s things I need to say…”

The Lt. Cmdr. turned to him quickly and kissed him as she said quietly, “ _I know_. You’ll get to but for now know that I’m with you no matter what. Don’t doubt that. Draw strength from it. It’s what you do for me…”

“Kori…”

“Come on. The pissed off Cmdr. Shepard is waiting for us.”

………

“Now that we are all here, we have a problem with obtaining the Quarian fleet. It seems that a majority of the Admiralty Board thought that now was the perfect time to go to war with the Geth. Only they didn’t count on the Geth being aided by the Reapers,” Shepard said as he cast his gaze around the room at his officers and friends. “So that makes this mission even more impossible, but we all should be used to that by now.”

“You wouldn’t have it any other way,” Garrus commented as he leaned against the glass partition, arms crossed.

“Yeah,” Vega agreed. “Loco wouldn’t know what to do with a ‘normal’ mission.”

A small chuckle went around the room as Shepard said, “We’ll have time to laugh at my expense later, but we need to deal with this _now_ , people.”

The laughter died down as everyone realized the Commander was serious. 

“What is the immediate mission?” Liara asked even though she already knew.

“A Geth dreadnought is in orbit broadcasting a Reaper signal to the rest of the Geth Fleet making them much more efficient than they already are. We’ve been asked to take it out…” The N7 replied with a smirk.

“Shepard suggested sending a small team board the ship to disable the signal,” Tali said as she stood across the room from the Commander in front of Garrus.

“If you do that, I suppose the idea is to disable the signal long enough to throw the Geth into confusion so the Quarians can make some sort of offensive move?” Reese asked as Alenko remained silent by her side.

“That’s the general idea, LC, but you know it’s not going to be that easy,” Shepard replied as he brought up a holomap of the space around Rannoch Tali had provided. “This is the mess we’ll be getting into.”

“Of course it is,” Reese muttered as she glanced at Kaidan. He was looking intently at the map in the middle of the conference table. “Who goes and who stays?”

“I’m going to take Tali, EDI, and Garrus on this one. Tech and firepower should balance out,” he explained with a shrug.

“What? I don’t pack enough firepower for you loco? You’re taking Scars over there instead? All he cares about is headshots and I don’t count flashlights as heads,” Vega protested loudly.

“Maybe next time, Jimmy. Experience wins out over bragging this time,” Garrus said with a Turian version of a smile.

Vega grumbled but said nothing else. The Commander shook his head as he assured the younger man, “This is not the only mission here. I’m pretty sure about that. You’ll get to add to your count later.”

Turing to the rest of the group, he added, “Liara will be monitoring Geth comm chatter with EDI. Vega I want you to see what we have to use on Rannoch in case we have to land…”

“The dreadnought may not be the source of the signal, Commander. It may just be a booster of sorts,” Reese interjected as she looked to Tali. Her friend nodded her agreement as Kaidan shifted slightly beside her.

“That’s why I want you up here. Monitor the mission as a whole including what the Quarians and Geth are doing. Find me anything odd or anything that might give us an advantage. This might be the opportunity you’ve needed to get your Reaper signal inhibitor working the way you want it to,” Shepard said.

“Aye, sir,” she replied realizing Kaidan hadn’t been given an assignment.

The Specter shifted his gaze the other and added, “Alenko, work with Reese and Traynor for now…”

Kaidan inhaled sharply and then replied, “Understood, sir.”

“If everyone knows their assignments, then the boarding party will meet here again one hour before we reach Rannoch. Dismissed,” the N7 said as the group broke up.

Reese watched as Liara and Shepard paired up and Garrus and Tali eventually did the same. Vega sauntered off towards the CIC followed by EDI who was sure to go find Joker. She was left standing beside Kaidan who was staring off through one of the windows. Things were definitely not better. And now he wasn’t being allowed to participate in an away mission…a far cry from what a Specter was supposed to do.

“Kaid?” she said softly. “We should go get the equipment set up…”

He nodded but made no effort to move. She sighed and took his hand. “It can wait a little bit…”

Alenko nodded again but still didn’t move. Reese caught Shepard’s concerned eye but shook her head. The N7 stayed where he was, observing the pair as she moved to stand in front of the second human Specter. “Baby steps…”

She only said those two words, but they were enough to bring him out of the trance he had been in. He looked down into the grey eyes he had come to rely on for strength. In them he saw nothing but love. A small smile spread across the sentinel’s face as he nodded. “Baby steps.”


	14. Chapter 14

**_Tuesday, Dec. 5, 2186, SSV Normandy SR2, Dholen System, Far Rim_ **

****

“Kori, I think I have something to tell you…” Kaidan said as he watched her work at her terminal in their quarters. They had retreated to there for a little while before the impending mission. Keeping busy by organizing the programs and files that she had put together before and since their evacuation from Earth seemed the way to go for the moment.

Reese looked up from her computer. “What is it?”

“The reason I was on Earth at HQ when you were…” he said as he stood on the opposite side of the room from her. “I…Anderson wanted an update on the biotics program and a demonstration of how I was teaching the kids… “

“Okay,” she said as she turned around and sat on the edge of her desk. “You told me that—“

“I told you _part_ of it, not all of it,” he replied looking at her with trepidation. “I could have done all that with the QEC the station had but when I found out you were being recalled to Alliance HQ at the same time I insisted that I do it in person…After that Anderson insisted I stay until he knew something about the trial for Shepard…”

The Lt. Cmdr. hugged herself as she frowned. “Kaidan, I don’t understand. You told me that you didn’t think it was…That you didn’t know if seeing me again was a good idea… _Now_ you tell me you went to Earth on purpose…to find me.”

“I did but there’s a reason…someone convinced me to…if I ever had the chance to see you again I should take it. You were worth it,” he said with a slight shrug.

“ _Who?”_ she asked simply still not understanding what exactly he was trying to tell her or what he had been keeping from her.

He exhaled slowly and opened his omni tool. He punched a few buttons and then a datapad beeped from behind him on the bed. He turned to retrieve it and looked at her with sadness and regret. Extending it to her, he said, “I should have told you…I was going to after we stayed at the cabin but the Reapers…”

She looked at him and then to the pad as she took it from him. He gave her a mournful smile as he turned to leave the cabin. “He was right…I was a total jackass for leaving you and you _are_ worth fighting for.”

As the doors closed behind the Major, she looked at the datapad. It was a letter to Kaidan from Michael Westmore dated several days before the Normandy had gone through the O4 Relay. Reese covered her mouth with her free hand to stifle a gasp as she moved to the bed. She collapsed upon it as she read the letter.

_Alenko—_

_I’m sure you remember me. Mike Westmore—the punk from Brain Camp that teased you about Rahna. She liked you better than me anyway. We ended up doing a tour of duty together once you finally decided to get a paycheck for those big biotic muscles of yours. Somehow we became friends through all that. Either way, what happened at Jump Zero never should have happened to us kids but because of that you showed me that being a cocky, arrogant biotic is a very bad thing. You showed the military what a true biotic soldier should be. You’re an example for all of us with or without the L2 implant. I owe you a lot. You’re a hell of a soldier and not because of the biotics._

_You may or may not know, but I’m part of Shepard’s ragtag team to save the universe this time. Thought it was my turn since you had yours last time. This is my choice, my chance to do my part. There is a chance this is a one-way trip as we’re heading through the Omega 4 Relay after we get all the people and equipment we need to hit the Collectors where they live. The thing is we all knew this could be a suicide mission when we signed on. But we did it anyway, not because of Cerberus or because the Alliance doesn’t believe Shepard. We did it because we believe in Shepard and his mission._

_I regret nothing about accepting this mission except one thing. I’m leaving someone behind, and I may not be able to come back to her. Whatever happened I know you have to still care about Kora. I know she still cares about you. She doesn’t mention it as much as she used to but I can still see it in her eyes every once in a while. She’s never stopped caring about you and she probably never will. I was lucky to meet her and be with her for the time we had together. If we are blessed with more than I’m luckier than I deserve._

_I don’t want to leave her alone, but she said she understood why I had to go. It was like ripping my heart out when I finally had to leave for the Normandy’s deployment. I never wanted her to go through what she had again, but she said she understood. I know she did, but she deserves better and more._

_If I don’t come back I want you to look after her. She needs that. She won’t admit it, but she needs someone and as much as she loves me, she loves you more I think. Whatever your reasons for leaving her were, they were pretty f’ing stupid. You realize you left behind the best thing that ever happened to you right? If you didn’t then, I sure as hell hope you do now. You owe her so much and she owes you. But regardless of that, if you do get the chance to be with her again take it and hold on to it with both hands. Don’t you ever let her go again. And if I die and I find out you’ve f’ed up another chance with her, I’ll haunt you to your grave, Alenko._

_Get your damned head out of your ass and realize just how much you two need each other._

_I love Kora but I know and accept that I more than likely won’t make it back it her. This is your chance, Staff Cmdr. Don’t screw this up too._

_Good luck._

_Mike Westmore, Lt. Cmdr. SSV Normandy, SR2_

_P.S. Kora knows nothing about this letter. I sent her one a completely different one but what you do now is up to you. Make a good choice. If we fail, it may be your last._

Reese threw the data pad down and ran out of the room. Wiping away tears she keyed her omni tool to find his location. Suddenly she understood what Kaidan had been trying to tell her a lot better and wondered if it was too late to fix some mistakes they had ognored.a

………

“Lt. Cmdr., Major Alenko is currently in the shuttle bay assisting Lt. Vega in preparing the weapons Shepard has requested for the mission. I reminded him of the order to assist you but he—I believe told me to rather crudely leave him alone,” EDI called over the comm in the elevator. “Is everything alright between you?”

“No, EDI, it’s not,” Reese said quietly hoping the adapting AI wouldn’t pry too far into the problem. “But I’m hoping to fix that.”

“If there is anything I may help with, please let me know. My knowledge of human relationships is small but growing, but I would like you to know I am here if either of you need…assistance,” EDI replied as the elevator arrived at the next deck.

“Thank you, EDI. You’re a good friend. Don’t let anyone tell you different,” the Lt. Cmdr. said as the doors opened.

“I will remember,” the female AI replied as the Ops Officer exited the lift and looked around the bay. She saw Vega talking to Kaidan. He wasn’t as loud as she was used to hearing and his body language let her know he was not comfortable with the biotic’s presence. She took a deep breath and then began walking towards the two men.

“Really, Major. I’ve got this. You don’t have to waste your time here…” Vega commented trying to offer Kaidan a way out without offending him. The Lt. saw Reese approach and added, “I’m sure you have more…techie things to do…”

“Having someone double check your weapons is never a waste of time, Lt.” Alenko replied as he slightly turned in the direction of her approach.

“It is when those weapons were checked by the Commander Shepard just an hour ago,” Reese called from behind him.

“Is that your professional _soldier_ opinion, Lt. Cmdr.?” the Major asked echoing the words she had said all those years ago when she had explained to him why she went into missions headlong with no regard for the consequences.

She caught the tone of voice he was using. It was the one he had used on the SR1 to cover-up the fact he was hurting. She had learned to decipher it and now she wasn’t going to call him out on it. Instead she turned to Vega. “Lt., a long time ago I made a mistake and the Major here called me out on it. He helped me become a better soldier and a better person. Right now I’m going to borrow the Major to remind him of that.”

Before Kaidan could object, Vega replied, “No problem, Mako. I’ll leave you to it.”

He retreated as Kaidan turned back to her and said, “What the hell was that? I was seeing what—“

“Bullshit, Alenko! You were hiding from me. Now come with me before I lose my temper, Major,” she said quietly but firmly.

In an equally hushed tone, the L2 replied, “What are you doing here?”

“Attempting to talk to you,” she answered as she headed for the elevator. “I thought that was obvious.”

He narrowed his eyes but kept his expression neutral. No sense in letting anymore of the crew know of their issue than necessary. He stood stiffly next to her in the elevator car, their height difference suddenly very apparent. She stood beside him, her arms crossed over her chest. Neither said anything as the car descended down to the engineering deck. Kaidan only made the slightest move of his head as he realized she had told EDI to take them to the ‘hole’ instead of back to the crew deck before she had come to get him.

He followed her out of the elevator down the very same steps that they had walked down at the beginning of their second chance. Now he wondered if that had simply been a wish, a dream that was doomed to disappear like so many other things in his life. So many things had held promise for him and one way or another they had all been taken away. Either because of the actions of others or his own. It didn’t matter anymore. Kori had been the first thing he had allowed himself to dare dream of caring about let alone keeping in his life. Now he didn’t know…

When they reached the bottom, he watched her walk over to a stack of parts crates on the opposite side of the small space. He remained in the hall area not sure what she was going to do. The silence between them lasted for what seemed like an eternity. He wanted to say something but was afraid to set off her temper. Instead Kaidan watched as she kept her back to him and hugged herself tightly.

“ _Why?_ Why didn’t you tell me? Why did you make a big deal about Mike in the hospital if he’s the one who convinced you to come after me? Why couldn’t you just…tell me? Why…” she asked as she began to sob.

Her shoulders started to shake uncontrollably as her cries became audible. He had never seen her cry like that before. He had seen her cry after the SR1 had gone down but that had been silent tears shed. There was the moment on the Kodiak when they had found out about the fate of each of their families but even then she had held on to her control. Now it was gone. And it was all because of him.

“Kori—,” he started to say but was cut off.

“ _Don’t,_ Alenko. Just don’t…I know why. You don’t think this would really work out…You’re protecting yourself… _again_ ,” she blurred out in anger.

Suddenly without any thought or command, his feet began walking to her, his arms pulling her firmly to his chest. She resisted as he knew she would, but he had promised not to let her go ever again and that was exactly what he intended to do. As she struggled against him, he simply held her. She kept saying one word over and over, “Why?”

Finally Reese turned around and started beating on his chest, still sobbing. “Why, Kaidan? _Why?_ Why didn’t you try to find me? Why didn’t you come back to me? Why did you leave me alone?”

Alenko let her pound on him with as much force as she could. He knew he would have bruises in the morning. But he realized facing their issues head on was more important than a few bruises. Slowly he moved his hands to wrap around her shoulders and rested his chin on the crown of her head. Her sobs subsided as her voice lowered to a whisper. She continued to ask the same questions over and over but had stopped hitting his chest. Instead she was clinging to this shirt almost to the point of ripping it.

Finally, he said softly, “I’m sorry, Kori. I really am. I didn’t know what I was doing back then. I had the best thing in my life right in the palm of my hands and I let it go. I let you go after you said you’d always be there for me. I don’t have an excuse and you do deserve better.”

Reese grew quiet as he felt her shift slightly against him. He continued, knowing he had to explain to her everything that had been thinking and feeling. Why he had been acting the way he had. “That night after Virmire…when you came to me after Ash’s death…That night meant everything to me. You made me realize it was okay to need someone, for someone to know your weaknesses, to accept someone’s help. You made me better. You still do but I let myself forget that.”

“I was afraid that after I left you, you would never be able to take me back. That I would only hurt you more if you did take me back. I had convinced myself that I wasn’t worth anything to anyone,” he said as he ran a hand through her hair. “Even you.”

“Mike being with you just drove me over the edge. I thought that my chance for happiness was gone for good. I knew you were happy, and I thought that you were over me and I had done you a favor by leaving. I actually convinced myself of that instead of trying—instead of doing the hardest thing I’d ever have to do in my life—ask for your forgiveness. But his letter and what happened. I’m ashamed to admit it took his letter and his death to make me realize just how much of an ass I really can be. I hurt you so much and I just let it go on. I could have told you any time the real reason…that I was scared of losing you too—but I didn’t. I took the coward’s way out. I don’t deserve you, yet here I am with the best thing that ever happened to me back in my arms. And I hurt you _again_.”

“Why…” she whispered into his chest.

“Because I’m afraid to lose you. Because if I admit that I care, you’ll disappear just like everything and everyone else. I can’t do that again…”

“You can’t lose me if you don’t have me.”

“I—It--Kori, I want you so much it hurts. It hurts so much when you’re not with me, when one of us is on a mission. I don’t know what to do without you anymore…I’m lost just like I was when I left you. You are my compass, my guiding light, my everything and I don’t want to lose you…”

“Then stay with me…”

“Kori?”

“That night you said you wanted me with you even if you didn’t know how to ask. You don’t have to. I’m here. Let me stay. Please?”

“Always. Always, sweetheart.”

“Don’t leave me again…I can’t lose you again either.”

“Promise. I promise, Kori.”

“Good.”

“Good?”

“Yeah, I’d really like a Mako right now…but duty calls.”

“Kori, there’s a mission and you...You’re insatiable.”

“If you had stuck around maybe I wouldn’t be.”

“I’ll have to make up for that… _and_ everything else.”

“I don’t want that, Kaidan. I just want you to be here now. Us, together. Forgot the past mistakes. Just concentrate on the present and our future. _Please_?”

“Kori, I just wanted to—”

“Here with me, Alenko. No baggage. We said we’d start over without all that on Earth. This time we make that the truth. Just us, here now.”

“Aye, aye, ma’am,” he replied with a small smile and a salute.

She glared at him and then poked him in the chest. “You remember that, mister.”

“I will,” he said rubbing his chest and realized just how hard she had pounded on him.

She noticed and offered him her hand as they headed towards the stairs. “I’ll make that up to you later, Kaid. I promise.”


	15. Chapter 15

**_Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2186, SSV Normandy SR2, Tikkun System, Perseus Veil_ **

****

“Sam, what are the readings? Can you make any sense out of it?” Reese called from her own console as she tried to decipher the complex code scrolling in front of her. Kaidan was at the console next to her going over his own information as it came in.

“It appears to be different codes overlaid to make one seamless strand of information,” the tech said as she zoomed in on different parts of the readout. The ambient noise of the bustling War Room ignored by all.

“Of course! It streamlines the beam necessary to send the information between receivers making it harder to pinpoint the origin and destination of the beam,” Reese said with amazement in her voice.

“I believe with more study I can learn to trace these beams back to their sources,” EDI chimed in from behind Traynor.

Reese looked up and smiled. “ _That_ is what I wanted to hear. If you can do that, then we are one step closer to being able to jam or corrupt the signal without having to have direct contact.”

“That would be a big plus…” Kaidan muttered as he glanced over at Reese. “I think anyways.”

The Lt. Cmdr. rolled her eyes and nodded. “Yes, that would be a big help to ease the Major’s mind too.”

“Lt. Commander, if I may?” Traynor offered as she looked at the two senior officers. “Perhaps we shouldn’t use the corruption code you’ve come up with so far just yet…again. The Geth may have been able to reverse engineer the one from your previous attempt and deactivate it. But if EDI can study this situation more and learn how to trace the signals, it will give us the information Cmdr. Shepard hoped it would and maybe we could finally be able to devise a code of our own they can’t compete with.”

“I like the sound of that, Traynor. Let’s focus on that for now. That _and_ assuring Shepard we have his back with technobabble,” Reese smirked as she turned her focus back to the screen. EDI and Traynor began scrutinizing the data even closer as Kaidan continued to look at the woman to his left.

She typed a few things and then said, “Yes, Kaidan? You have something to say?”

“Yes, ma’am. I do. May I speak with you in private?” he asked quietly.

Reese programmed the console search for certain repetitions in the Geth transmissions and then nodded. “Okay, but it needs to be quick. Shepard’s on a Geth dreadnaught and that won’t leave us a lot of down time.”

Alenko nodded as he gently took her by the elbow and lead her to the QEC room away from the others. Making sure they were out of sight of the others, he looked down at her with a serious expression. Reese fought back the fear she felt. They had just agreed to resolve their lingering issues with the past. And now he was doing this….

“Kaidan, what’s wrong—"

She didn’t finish the sentence. Alenko pinned her to the wall of the comm room and kissed her hard. She yelped in surprise but didn’t try to fight it. Almost as quickly he pulled away with a shy smile. “Permission to speak freely?”

“ _Always_ , Major,” she replied wondering why he kept treating her as a superior officer. She was the Normandy’s first officer true, but he was a Major _and_ a Specter.

“Thank you,” he said running a hand through her hair. “I want this to succeed as much as you do, but _please_ don’t do anything to—"

“I’m not going anywhere, Kaidan. I promised. Remember? That means keeping my stupid stunts to a minimum,” she said with a reassuring smile. So that was where this was coming from…

“Sweetheart, I don’t know what I’d do without you…”

“Let’s not find out,” she replied as she kissed him.

He was about to reply with EDI chimed over the comm. “Cmdr. Shepard has located Legion and is requesting immediate evac. We are also receiving possible distress signals from the planet’s surface along with an increase in Quarian ship movements.”

“Of course,” Reese said as she rested her head on his chest.

Alenko sighed and said, “Sometimes I really hate it when you’re right.”

“I do too, Kaid. I do too.”

~~~~~~

**_Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2186, Rannoch, Tikkun System, Perseus Veil_ **

“And you volunteered me to lead this mission _because_?” Kaidan asked as the Kodiak made a low circle around the area, avoiding the AA Towers.

“Do I really have to list the reasons?” Reese replied with a grin as she checked her weapon. The mission was to find the missing Quarian Ad. Zaal’Koris and bring him back to the fleet in one piece.

“ _Yes_. I think you do,” the Major said as Vega looked back at them from the cockpit. The Lt. watched them in amusement but said nothing.

“ _Fine_ ,” she said, holding up fingers to illustrate her points. “1. Aside from Shepard _you’re_ the most decorated officer on the Normandy. 2. _You’re_ the Second human Specter. 3. _You_ need to do something besides run sims and numbers with me. 4. _I_ like seeing you use your biotics in combat. It’s _sexy_.”

A roar of laughter came from the copilot’s seat as Alenko fought back a blush, wishing he had put on his helmet. “You enjoy doing that don’t you?”

“Yes,” she stated simply as the pilot called back to them.

“LZ in 90 seconds.”

“Acknowledged,” the Specter replied grateful to be able to put on his helmet. “Suit up.”

Vega joined them in the passenger compartment as Reese just smiled. The Lt. asked before donning his own helmet, “You’ve always done that to him haven’t you?”

“Yep,” she said and put down her visor.

````````

“I guess you get to add to your count after all, Lt.,” Reese called from behind a rock as more Geth poured out from the rocky terrain.

“Hey! Hey! This is more like it! Scars has nothing on me!” Vega called back as he let loose another round from his heavy rifle.

The Lt. Cmdr. simply shook her head and waited for Kaidan to comm her again. He had taken a slightly different path, using some of the elevated rocks to shield his flanking motions. As team leader he had decided to do it, instead of sending one of the others. Reese had almost protested but bit back her comment when he glanced at her and nodded. She couldn’t see his expression totally through the helmet but knew what the gesture meant. _Trust me._

And so she had. And now she was reloading her Avenger as Vega added to his bragging rights. Despite a rocky start, she had come to depend on the younger man in a firefight or even a bar fight. He had almost become like a younger brother. It was strange. She had never had any siblings and now often thought of the crew of the Normandy as members of her family.

“Clear out that group then head north 160 meters. Meet me by the big rock,” Alenko’s voice came over the comm.

Reese frowned and then glanced over at Vega. “Did Grease just say what I think he said?”

She waved him off as she replied, “There’s a lot of big rocks, Major.”

“Try the one that’s got a blue biotic glowing in front of it, Reese,” he replied dryly over the radio.

“Uh-oh! Cat fight,” James replied as he picked off a few more Geth.

“I _can_ hear you,” Kaidan reminded the other Marine as Reese rolled her eyes and sent a warp out over her rock.

As the remaining Geth were knocked back, Vega took them out. The Ops Officer replied, “We know.”

Vega heard a groan through the static as the two began moving cautiously through the disabled Geth. The larger man glanced over at her and asked, “Has he always been that… _dry_?”

“Dry? Well, yes, mostly. Controlled and focused. He’s gotten better. He used to not talk to people at all…mostly,” she admitted awkwardly. “He’s humor has actually gotten better though…His flirting—still working on that.”

“Well, no one’s got anything on me when it comes to flirting, Mako,” the Lt. replied, with a confident tone.

“I’ll give you that one, Muscles,” she conceded as they cleared the battlefield and neared ‘the big rock.’

“ _Muscles_? Really? That’s gonna stick isn’t it?”

“Yep,” she replied simply as Kaidan motioned for them to stay put. Glowing blue from his barrier, he pointed at two targets—two AA guns that had to have their defenses disabled before the shuttle could take down the towers themselves.

Reese and Vega nodded as the Specter ordered over the comm, “Stay in a tight formation. There are lots of places to hide and a few wide-open spaces we’ll have to clear before we can get the control panels.”

“Got it.”

“Understood.”

The other two said as they checked their weapons again.

“Good,” Kaidan replied as he moved to take the lead. “Oh, and Vega…dry humor and muscles aside…try to flirt with my girl again and you’ll see exactly how _uncontrolled_ I can be.”

“Ummm, yes sir?”

“Good answer.”

Vega turned to Reese and said, “And I thought I shouldn’t make _you_ mad.”

“You should see it when we’re _both_ mad,” she replied with a wry tone as she fell into step behind Alenko.

Vega had no reply as they began making their way with guns and biotics blazing towards the AA tower. Even over the bullets and laser fire, the Lt. could have sworn he heard the Specter laughing.

```````````

“Mako, tech magic would be good right now!” Vega yelled as a squad of Geth bared down on the trio. Unfortunately, a rocket launching model had decided to tag along and the console that needed to be disabled for the second tower was basically out in the open.

“Working on it, Muscles, but missiles don’t freaking help!” she called back as Kaidan let loose a series of biotic pulls and throws. Vega took the opportunity to shoot and simultaneously blow up those Geth unlucky enough to be in the Specter’s line of fire.

“Focus, Reese,” Alenko said calmly as he attempted to keep the enemy fire off of her. She had her own kinetic shields and barrier up but with the amount of firepower being unloaded on them it wouldn’t last long out in the open.

“Right,” she replied as she quickly made the necessary hacks to allow EDI to complete the disabling of the tower’s defenses. Simply shooting the console wouldn’t have done any good despite Vega’s assurances it would have because of all the redundant systems the Geth had installed.

After several tense minutes, she had neared the end of her part when a missile whizzed past her head and exploded mere meters from the console. The concussive blast knocked her off her feet before she hit the final keystroke. Cursing she shook her head to making the blurriness and ringing stop. When she was able to look up, she saw the most welcome sight she could think of…Kaidan Alenko smiling down at her with an outstretched hand.

She reached for him as he said, “Close one, Lt. Commander.”

Before she could reply, Vega yelled, “ _Pyros_! No make that two Pyros!”

“Kori! _Now_!!” the Major ordered as she stood directly in front of her, effectively being a shield between her and the on-coming Geth. His barrier was as strong as she had ever felt it and she could tell he was starting to tire from the extended use of his biotics. Working quickly she tapped the final sequence and said, “EDI, your turn!”

“Acknowledged, Reese,” the AI’s voice echoed over the comm.

Suddenly the shields around the tower went down but the Pyros stayed their course. Kaidan held up a hand in front of him as the other reached behind for the L3. He guided her behind him as he ordered, “Get back!”

Suddenly he launched a full-on shockwave at the Pyros, igniting their tanks and throwing them over the railing. As they went sailing through the air, the trio was spared the resulting fire ball only because Reese threw up a barrier wall in front of them at the very last minute. Vega whistled in surprise as Kaidan ran a scan to make sure the terminal had disabled the shields.

It had worked but had cost the L2 biotic to use more energy than he had wanted to expend. But the jamming tower itself still needed to be dealt with. They had just a little farther to go through a ravine and take out the last of its defenses…

Letting out a whoop of triumph, the Marine looked over at the other officers. Alenko was leaning against a console as Reese ran a medical check with her omni-tool. He kept batting her hand away as he insisted she run a check on herself instead.

Vega shook his head as he contacted Cortez. Even now they were arguing over who should be ‘taken care of’ first. “We’re clear, Esteban. The two biotics aren’t in such hot shape though.”

“The jamming tower is reading no shields, but other defenses are still active. You three still have to get there. This Kodiak won’t be much help until then,” the pilot replied.

“Yeah. I got that. Look, just have the Doc standing by. I think the Major may have over done the biotic thing. Reese is right on his heels with that,” Vega advised as he moved back towards the pair.

“Will do. Cortez out.”

“You know I could hear everything you said, right?” Alenko commented as he eyed the Lt.

“Yes, sir,” Vega replied. “But the mission isn’t complete yet and we’re losing time.”

“Yeah, Major. We should get going. More stuff to blow up and shoot,” Reese commented as she closed down her tool.

“I’m still in command,” Kaidan protested as he got to his feet.

“No one said otherwise, sir,” the Lt. Cmdr. assured him. “Vega was simply giving our ride a status update while you were being checked out by a field medic. Now can we go?”

Vega nodded his thanks and Kaidan stared at her. “Okay, Vega you take point this time. We’ll flank you.”

“On it,” the younger Marine said as he passed the two and headed toward the jamming tower.

Alenko went to follow but was stopped by a hand gently holding his arm. “He’s just doing his job. But he’s right. You’re borderline exhausted, Kaidan. No more biotics unless an emergency… _Please_?”

“You’re no better off than me…”

She smiled at him. “We’ll see.”

“ _Kori_ —“

“I promise.”

“Ok, let’s go then before Vega decides to kill more than he can handle.”

````````````

“Ummm, you said something about more than Vega can handle earlier…I think this is more than _we_ can handle…” Reese commented as she ducked into cover again.

“ _This_? This is nothing!” the Lt. shouted as he unloaded another clip.

“Damn,” Kaidan muttered ignoring Vega.

“What?” the female tech asked.

“You may be right. We’re running out of clips and my biotics aren’t so hot right now,” he replied grimly. “But I won’t let that Quarian down. He’s kid should know what happened to his Dad…”

Reese looked at him and knew he was thinking of his own father. She took a breath and said, “There is another option…”

“Buuuut….”

“You’ll have to trust me.”

“Kori, _no_ biotics and _no_ stupid stunts—“

“It’s _not_ a stunt. I was _trained_ for this…I—have done it before when I was helping Tali gather intel on the Geth…”

Even without seeing his features, she knew he was conflicted about the right course of action. Let her do her duty or keep her safe beside him which might not be that safe soon…

“Whatever you’re going to do, do it soon!” Vega shouted as he switched weapons.

Kaidan took a breath and said softly, “I trust you.”

She nodded at him and then placed a gloved hand on his helmet. With that she disappeared. Kaidan watched in surprise as a tactical cloak shielded her from sight. He knew she could use one. She had back on Earth to sneak into his quarters in the barracks. But he didn’t know her current armor was outfitted with one. Either way he watched from cover as Geth began going down without a shot fired. It was eerie to see the flashlight heads as Ash had called them deactivate without a visible reason. That was until a Pyro exploded after an orange arrow pierced its fuel tanks.

“Aww, hell…She didn’t,” Alenko commented with a grin.

“Didn’t _what_? Do we have a N6 shooting bows and arrows at Geth now?” Vega asked as he inserted his second to last clip.

“In a manner of speaking, Lt. She outfitted her omni tool with a crossbow. I thought it was still in the experimental stages…” he said.

“You have an unconventional woman, sir,” the bulked-up marine said.

“Tell me about it,” Kaidan muttered as he noticed a clear path. He motioned for Vega to follow it as more Geth were assaulted by arrows.

The two marines made their way through the provided path with minimal use of guns. As they reached the other side of the jamming tower, Kaidan said, “I don’t see any more Geth. So where’s Reese?”

“Right behind you, techboy,” she answered as she turned off the tactical cloak. Shimmering back into their visual range, Vega shook his head.

“You tech heads and your toys.”

She cocked her head at him and said, “That toy just saved your ass, Lt.”

“Yes, ma’am. Of course, ma’am. And what a very cool toy it is, ma’am,” he replied with a grin.

“Can we go now?” she asked as Kaidan fiddled with the last set of controls on the tower itself.

“Ah, yeah. I’ll radio Cortez to—“

“Geth incoming!” Vega yelled. Out of nowhere three Geth Primes and a platoon of other assorted Geth emerged from the surrounding rock face.

“Oh, shit! Kaidan, we don’t have—“ she was cut off but him suddenly jerking her close to his chest.

”Cortez, now!!!”

“You are still in close proximity to the tower, Major! It’s too dangerous,” the pilot replied.

“No more dangerous than having three Geth Primes and a full platoon a droids pissed at you with your back to a corner. Now shoot the damned tower, Lt! That’s an order!” Alenko shouted in the most authoritative tone Reese had ever heard from him.

Suddenly, the First Officer knew exactly what the Major was planning and all she could think was that he had been hanging around her too long. She motioned for the other Marine to move towards them, and yelled, “Get your ass over here, Vega! This is going to be rough!”

“ _Rough_? Your boyfriend just order Esteban to shoot us!” the Lt. almost screamed.

“Just think of it as one of my impulsively stupid stunts,” she offered as the younger man stood next to the two biotics. Before he could reply, Reese extended her own barrier to encompass everyone just as Kaidan had. Holding his left hand tightly to her waist, she rested her other hand over his arm, making the origination point for both barriers the same.

“You’re both loco,” Vega muttered as his skin tingled inside his armor as the intensity of the dark energy surrounding him increased. Ignoring him, Reese and Alenko concentrated on matching each other’s barriers. They had done it a few times before on purpose and once, in the beginning by accident. It was a rare thing that required intense concentration, especially with charging Geth and a weapons platform that was being fired on.

Cortez let loose a barrage of weapon’s fire that ended with several huge explosions and a lot of falling debris. On the down side (at least for the enemy), the Geth attacking the trio where buried while the Marines were safe--enveloped in a double biotic barrier. After several long moments, Cortez radioed, “Jamming tower disabled. Are you okay? Major Alenko? Cmdr. Reese? Vega? Come in!”

“We’re okay, Esteban. Just under a ton of rubble,” the Lt. replied as he looked at the two biotics beside him. The bluish hue from their barrier was starting to flicker.

“We’ll take care of that in just a sec, Lt.,” Alenko replied, strain evident in his voice.

“Kaid, can you really do more? Or do you want me to…” Reese trailed off as she held tighter to him.

“You don’t do anything without me…I can’t hold the barrier by _myself_ and you can’t throw the debris by _yourself_ ,” Kaidan ordered. He whispered over her shoulder wearing a tight grin. “We do it… _together._ ”

“Okay. On three?”

“Yeah.”

“Hey! Wait! _What_ are you doing?” Vega almost squeaked.

“Biotic throw to get us out of here…You may want to duck…” the Major advised as their combined aura brightened one last time.

Vega muttered something in Spanish and did as he was told. The L2 said, “On three…one, two, three!”

Using just about all the biotic energy the two had left, they threw the debris clear. Vega rose up slowly, checking the area for left over Geth. Instead he found a pile of parts where the three Geth Primes had been. “Damn, remind me not to piss either of you off— _ever_.”

“Noted,” Kaidan replied as he leaned against Reese for a few moments. She looked up at him worriedly but was interrupted as radio traffic came back on line.

_“Dorn? It’s Zaal’Koris. Are you there?’”_

“This is Major Alenko of the Special Tactics and Reconnaissance Unit. Dorn didn’t make it Admiral,” Kaidan replied sadly as Reese put an arm around his waist.

_“He didn’t? I see…”_

“We’re coming in with a shuttle. Where are you?” the Major asked as Cortez landed the Kodiak.

_“My surviving crew found their way to a clearing. I’ll upload their location.”_

“Stay together. We’ll meet you there,” he told the Quarian as the trio boarded the shuttle.

_“No. The Geth have cut me off. I hear another wave approaching.”_

“Give us your coordinates,” the Specter advised as Cortez lifted off.

_“Leave me. My crew will soon be over run.”_

“So will you,” he said with frustration creeping into his force. He was tired, exhausted, and angry that another young boy wouldn’t see his father ever again. 

_“My people are non-combatants, Alenko. They’ll be slaughtered. Rescue them.”_

“Admiral, Commander Shepard needs you leading the civilian fleet if we’re going to end this fight,” he said as Reese placed a hand on his arm. He looked at her through his visor. How could this man not see the bigger picture? How could he not honor Dorn’s sacrifice by doing the right thing?

_“Civilians? Our entire race took up arms for this insanity. It’s too late for us.”_

“It’s only too late if you die down here,” Kaidan tried again as he slumped into a seat.

_“You can’t possibly think you can stop this war.”_

“Me? I don’t know. What I do know is that Shepard can’t do it without your help,” the L2 said almost desperately.

The comm was quiet except for the sound of gunfire from the Admiral’s end.

_“Ancestors forgive me. Uploading my coordinates.”_

“We’re coming,” Kaidan assured him as Cortez turned the Kodiak shuttle towards the Admiral’s position. He looked at Reese and said softly, “I hope it was worth it.”

*******

**_Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2186, SSV Normandy SR2, Tikkun System, Perseus Veil_ **

Reese and Alenko reported to Dr. Chakwas almost as soon as they landed back on the Normandy. Shepard was already making preparations with Tali to coordinate the final assault against the Reapers and Geth on Rannoch. Of course the Admiralty Board wasn’t making things any easier. The Commander had assured Kaidan that he had done everything he could have to ensure the success of the mission. Now with Zaal’Koris back with his fleet, Tali felt more confident that the others would listen to Shepard’s plan instead of Xen’s strategy.

Reese was cleared for immediate active duty while the Major had to suffer through several extra round of tests because of the injury from Mars and his episode nearly two weeks ago. Reese never left his side as she coordinated things with EDI and Traynor from the Medbay.

“I don’t need a babysitter, Kori,” Kaidan insisted as he tried once again to get her to return to her post.

“Maybe, but the Doc thinks you behave better when I’m here,” she replied without looking up from her omni-tool. “Besides I’m not needed just yet. The Admirals are still bickering. So you’re stuck with me for a while.”

“Either way, you have duties to perform— _wait_ —I behave better? What the hell is that supposed to mean?” the Major asked as he realized exactly what she had said.

“She means you are less combative about necessary tests when she is present, Major. It was the same when you were at Huerta Memorial on the Citadel as well according to Dr. Michel,” Chakwas clarified as she waved her omni-tool over the sentinel again.

“I’m fine. And I’m _not_ ‘combative.’ I just want to return to duty. Shepard will need everyone on deck when they make the final assault,” Alenko replied as Reese smiled.

“If you would cooperate you would be that much sooner to returning to duty, Major,” the older woman said, eyeing the L2 pointedly.

“Yes, ma’am,” he said defeated, shoulders slumping.

It took everything the Lt. Cmdr. had not to laugh. He glared up at her. Unfortunately for him, Reese found him even more endearing when he did it. “Oh, come on, Kaidan. It’s not that bad.”

“It is when my doctor _and_ my girlfriend both gang up on me,” he replied as the medical scan completed.

“No more biotics for the next 24 hours, eat and drink plenty to recover your extra expended calories and _rest_ ,” the doctor ordered.

“But—“

“No heroics, Kaidan. Let Shepard or Vega have some fun for the next 24. Try a supporting role in our latest space drama,” she advised.

“Understood,” Alenko said as he realized once again there was no arguing with her.

Chakwas walked away as Kaidan rose to his feet. “I should check in with the Commander…”

“I did that for you…We are grabbing some chow in the mess then reporting for duty,” Reese said as she walked beside him.

“Kori, no. I need—“

“To take care of yourself…besides Shepard’s orders,” she replied with a mischievous grin.

“You really need to stop going over my head,” Alenko commented with annoyance in his voice.

“I only do it when you won’t think of yourself, plus I am the first officer here…You technically are outside the Normandy’s command structure,” she gently reminded him.

“I’m still a Specter and a Major, **Lt. Cmdr**.,” he retorted as the meds kicked in—a preventive measure Chakwas had said.

Reese lowered her tone as they stood beside the medbay. “Don’t be that way, Kaidan. I’m not handling you. I’m strongly reminding you to take care of yourself. It just so happens that everyone agrees with me.”

His expression softened a little. “I’m just keyed up. If we can get the Quarians on board that is a significant step towards ending this war.”

“I know,” the Ops Officer said looking away. “Tali could finally go home.”

Kaidan watched her carefully, her expression showing traces of sadness. He hooked a finger under her chin, turning her back to him. “Hey, we are going to win this, and we _will_ get to go home.”

She looked up at him with stormy grey eyes. “My home is with you, Alenko…wherever you are.”

The Specter found himself grinning as he replied, “Understood, ma’am.”


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> @@@smut in the second section of Thursday, Dec. 7, 2186@@@

**_Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2186, SSV Normandy SR2, Tikkun System, Perseus Veil_ **

“I’m sorry. I seemed to have missed that whole there’s a Geth aboard the Normandy thing,” Kaidan commented as he crossed his arms over his chest.

“You were busy rescuing an Admiral,” Shepard replied with a smirk as they stood in the conference room.

Reese cocked her head as she asked, “Well, umm, at the risk of sounding stupid, I’m assuming it’s on _our_ side?”

“Yes, LC. He is on our side and he’s _name_ is Legion,” the Commander explained. “He’s agreed to help us end this pointless confrontation. His people are being controlled by the Reapers. They didn’t want this war.”

“Shepard, you’re talking about the machines that destroyed Eden Prime and tried to kill us on more than one occasion,” Alenko reminded him warily.

“ _Not_ Legion. He helped us on the O4 mission. If it weren’t for him, I wouldn’t be here now,” Shepard said defensively. Looking directly at the second human Specter, he added, “He’s self-aware, Kaidan.”

The Major looked at his former CO hard as Reese inquired, “So he doesn’t want war with the Quarians. _What_ does he want?”

“Freedom from the Old Machines,” an artificial voice replied from the briefing room door. They looked over to see a Geth with N7 armor wielded to its chest staring at them.

Kaidan automatically put up a barrier and pulled Reese behind him. Shepard held up a hand as the Geth added, “This one does not wish harm to Shepard-Commander’s comrades. It only wishes to aid in ending the war with the Creators and in defeating the Old Machines.”

Reese put a hand on the sentinel’s shoulder as the Commander said, “Legion heard from Tali that someone was studying Reaper Code _and_ trying to use it against them.”

Kaidan slowly dropped his barrier as the Ops Officer moved around him. “That would be me. Lt. Commander Reese.”

The Geth was quiet for a moment as if thinking and then said, “Reese, Kora. First officer and Chief Operations Officer of the SSV Normandy SR2. Expert in Geth technology and Reaper Code. Previous assignment: Refit of SR2 to Alliance standards. Recent N6 promotion. Other previous assignments include classified operations with Creator Tali Zorah and other missions for Admiral Anderson, David. Also in human mating ritual with Alenko, Kaidan, Major, Spector—"

“ _Alright_ , Legion. I think they get the point,” Shepard interrupted with a chuckle as he watched his friend blush.

Reese smirked. “I never thought I’d see the day when a Geth would make Kaidan blush.”

“Shepard-Commander, have we done something to offend? The Major’s life signs are fluctuating abnormally,” Legion said with something akin to concern.

“No, Legion. The Major has always done that when someone brings up human mating rituals,” the N7 clarified with a smile.

“ _Not_ funny, Shepard,” Alenko said in a warning tone.

Reese smiled and took another step toward the Geth. She heard Kaidan take in a sharp breath but ignored it. Extending her hand, she said, “Pleasure to meet you, Legion.”

The Geth platform looked at her outstretched hand and then back at her. He imitated the motion Shepard had shown him months ago and shook the N6’s hand. “This one has no sense of that emotion, but we offer our assistance in decrypting the Reaper Code you possess.”

“Good enough for me,” she said with a smile.

“ _Kori_?” Kaidan said uncertainty in his voice. He had always been slow to trust. She knew that all too well from previous experience.

“We will not harm your mate, Alenko-Major. You have our word,” Legion promised in its own way.

“Kaidan, Legion is a good guy here. I trust him with my life,” Shepard said. “We _need_ this alliance. Working with Reese will help the Quarians see that the Geth aren’t the true bad guys.”

“Okay, but I still don’t like it,” he commented.

“You don’t have to like it. Just accept it,” the Commander said firmly, locking eyes with his longtime friend “I need you with me when I talk to the Admirals. I have no patience left and we have to discuss a new development. Apparently, there is a Reaper base on Rannoch…”

“Great,” Alenko replied as he followed Shepard to the war room. He glanced back at Reese who gave him a reassuring smile. He nodded reluctantly and left her alone with the Geth.

She turned back to the Geth and asked, “So where should we start?”

“We have already analyzed your research. We suggest…” Legion hesitated; its head flaps moving almost as if considering it next words. “Your service record suggests you are…unorthodox in comparison to the rest of your crew.”

“Ummm, yeah. I suppose that’s a nice way to say I do crazy things to get the job done,” she replied, a little uncertain.

“We would ask you to help us defeat the Old Machines and keep our people safe. We are aware of your friendship with Creator Zorah. We ask this for both our people’s futures,” he explained.

“Okay, but I thought that’s what Shepard was working on now,” she replied. Could Legion actually be plotting something Shepard wouldn’t condone?

“It is, but it is not a long-term solution. We have evaluated what you propose and believe it is possible. The time allotted for the task with only one platform is inefficient. We propose an alternative,” he said.

“I’m listening…”

“Help this one convince both Shepard-Commander and Creator Zorah that giving sentience to the Geth will end the war and provide assistance against the Reapers,” Legion said. “In doing this, you will gain the processing power of millions of platforms…”

She looked at him in disbelief. He was asking her to help him make his people self-aware like himself without going to Shepard first. There had to be a catch. “What don’t you want them to know? _How_ could the Geth become self-aware?”

“The same way this one has maintained its autonomy…We possess Reaper code—,” he said. If Legion hadn’t been a Geth, he would have sworn he was ashamed.

Reese couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Shepard had never told her about that which meant he really didn’t know, neither did Tali. Now he was asking her to keep it a secret _and_ help him… “Legion, I can’t hide something like that from them.”

“We would not ask you to. We do have a limited understanding of loyalty and duty to comrades. We would ask you to wait until the appropriate time to inform them if we have not already done so.”

She considered his proposal which bordered on a plea. For some reason she found herself willing to trust the Geth, but one question remained. “Why me? Why not tell Shepard now?”

“Shepard-Commander is tasked with many operations. It is…unproductive to burden him with this until the correct time. We also believe you will put this information to the most efficient use,” Legion replied logically.

Reese reflected on his reasoning for a moment. The amount of time she would have to keep the ‘secret’ would be minimal as the time for the final assault on Rannoch rapidly approached. “I will keep this to myself on one condition. If at any point this jeopardizes the mission or any one, I will immediately inform the Commander.”

“We understood, Reese-Commander,” the Geth said with what she almost mistook for relief. Maybe he was more human than anyone wanted to admit.

~~~~~~~

Reese listened to the comms between the Quarian fleet and Shepard’s party. The Rannoch natives had still thought the Geth a threat after Legion offered a solution. All she had been able to do was send Tali and Shepard’s omni-tools a message saying Legion was telling the truth. It might have been enough to help convince them, but either way Legion had given his life to help end the war with his Creators. Now the Geth were fighting against the remaining Reapers forces, allowing the Quarians to retreat and lick their wounds.

The Ops Officer gripped the edge of her workstation to the point of breaking skin. It wasn’t fair. She had only known him for a few hours, but he was as alive as anyone. He had given his life for his people to be free and for his Creators to finally be able to go home.

She suddenly felt a hand on her shoulder. It was Kaidan. “You did all you could, sweetheart.”

“I know. It just doesn’t feel like it.”

“It never does.”

******

**_Thursday, Dec. 7, 2186, SSV Normandy SR2, Tikkun System, Perseus Veil_ **

“Ok, Lt. Commander, before I bust you back down to ensign, explain to me _exactly_ why you withheld critical information from your CO?” Shepard said calmly. He had called her to his quarters for a dressing down once he realized just how much she had known about Legion.

She had been in the same situation with Shepard once before on the SR1 because he had called her out on her own bullshit. This time it was it was different; it concerned the safety of an entire fleet. And she didn’t care. She had been right and would act accordingly.

Reese stood her full height of 5’ 9” beside his desk and said, “Permission to speak freely?”

“Granted. You know that,” he replied slightly annoyed.

“Legion asked me to,” she said simply.

“I find that hard to believe—"

“As he explained it to me, he believed you to be too involved with other tasks to efficiently use the information and since I was the Alliance expert on Reaper Code he told me in the hopes that his people’s computing power could be used to help decipher the code and use it against the Old machines,” she explained rationally, her temper in check. There was nothing to get mad about. She was right.

“I was _too_ _involved_ in other tasks?”

“Yes. He said he would inform you at the correct time and if he did not I would. I in turn told him if the intel appeared to jeopardize the mission or personnel, I would inform you in that case as well.”

“Lt. Commander,” Shepard began as he shook his head, “…that was a big gamble.”

“You trusted me, sir. If you can trust a Geth, then that says something. He seemed sincere in his desire to save _both_ his people and the Quarians. I almost think that he had planned this all along.”

Shepard glanced at her. “You can be annoyingly convincing sometimes.”

“Kaidan would agree with you on that, I think,” she replied with a shrug.

“Fine, LC. No punishment except you’re taking my next duty shift. I’m tired,” he said as he waved her off. “You can go.”

Reese nodded as she headed to the cabin’s door. Before she left, the N7 added, “ _Don’t_ let his sacrifice be in vain, Lt. Commander.”

“Yes, sir.”

~~~~~~

Kaidan sat on the couch in their quarters, leaning against the corner with Reese nestled in his lap. She was glossing over the final reports from the Rannoch missions. He on the other hand was listening to the soft music playing in the background as he played with her hair. CCR’s _Have you Ever Seen the Rain_ was the current selection. He had already taken her hair out of its normal coiled braid and brushed out the long brown tresses. The sentinel would never admit it to anyone—especially Vega—but he found it relaxing. Kori—who found mission reports relaxing—didn’t seem to mind the attention either.

He glanced over at the desk with spare parts on it. Her quarters had steadily become more organized after he had moved in but there were still things he dared not touch lest he incur her wrath. The parts to mod omni tools caught his eye though. She had used an omni-bow on Rannoch amongst other things he wasn’t aware she had access to it, let alone was trained to use it. What she had shown on the battlefield didn’t follow any established skillset taught at the N school. It seemed to be a mishmash of things instead. He hadn’t asked about her training before. He had the clearance now to find out, but he wanted her to tell him…

“I can hear you thinking, Alenko,” Reese commented as she scrolled to another report.

He glared back at her and smiled. “Really?”

“Yes, so what is it?”

“On Rannoch, you used an omni-bow…I thought those were still in R and D…”

She chuckled. “I **am** R and D on that.”

“ _Oh_ ,” he said as he moved her hair over one shoulder, exposing her back. “So what about the tactical cloak?”

“I liked it…It has certain advantages I like so I adapted it to suit my use,” she explained as she leaned into his hands. His fingers tracing patterns on the back of her tee shirt. “Sneaking into a certain Major’s quarters was a fun field test.”

“Okay,” he said thoughtfully, grinning back at the memory of the night she’d magically appeared in his quarters on Earth. “So what exactly was the program you were training in?”

Reese snorted and said, “Pissing off my instructors, what else?”

“Kori! Really!”

“I started out with infiltration but I kind of modded it to include other stuff I liked…” she said sheepishly. “Anderson had to put his two cents in to get them to understand I usually do things _my way_.”

“ _Really_? I had _no_ idea…” the Major teased as he created a low-level biotic field around his hands and began sliding them under her shirt.

“Are you making fun of me, Major?” the tech asked as she glanced at him over her shoulder.

“Me? Make fun of you? _Never_ …” he said innocently as he continued to massage her back with his biotically charged hands.

Reese hummed in contentment as she said softly, “Chakwas said easy on the biotics.”

“This is easy and I’m quite relaxed, no stress. Thank you very much,” he replied as he nuzzled her exposed neck with his nose.

“Kaidan, are you trying to be naughty?”

“I thought you liked it when I was a naughty…” he whispered hoarsely as he kissed her neck.

She purred at his touch as he varied the intensity of the field, sending a pleasant hum of biotic energy across her skin. “Kaidan, you’re not being fair…”

“Why? Because I remember you like this? _A lot_?,” he asked as he blew lightly into her ear. She arched her back against his touch and whined. “I have reports…to go over—"

“They can wait,” he said as he tossed the pads aside. “I can’t.”

“Kai…dan,” she breathed as he moved a hand to cup one of her breasts.

He smiled. “And I don’t think you wait to either, Lt. Commander.”

He kissed her again, pulling her fully against his chest. The teasing mood of earlier melted away as she reached behind to place a hand at the base of his neck. The charge from his biotic field began clashing with hers are she became increasingly aroused. As she became more insistent, she used her other hand to guide his in motions that made her moan loudly into his mouth.

Suddenly she turned around to face him, moving to straddle him on the small couch. He looked at her with desire laden eyes and slid her nails down his bicep, causing a rush of blood to his lower half. He had been right; his biotics had always sent her over the edge.

Kaidan pulled away for the slightest moment to remove his shirt. Reese hastily helped him, her fingers running excitedly across his chest. His abs clenched pleasantly at her touch. The Major instantly remembered the few times they had been together on the SR1, recalling all the things he had discovered to please her during their brief time together.

The moment he was free of the shirt, the L3 jerked him down onto her with a moan. Another jet of fire headed for his core, as his breath grew ragged in anticipation. Reese sensed his intense desire but couldn’t decide whether she wanted to kiss him or tear the rest his clothes off first.

Kaidan smiled at her indecision and tried slowing her movements down. He kissed his way back to her neck, nipping at the soft skin there. After his tender kisses, her hands steadied and ran through his hair, massaging slowly.

Now that she was engaged in that, the Specter used his own hands to unbutton her pants and pull them down. Reese kicked them off the rest of the way as he continued kissing and sucking her neck. She let out a sigh as his hands slid up her back and beneath her shirt again to unfasten her bra. His hands brushed along her warm skin, and the tightening in his own pants became nearly agonizing.

She seemed to get the message though, and she too began to work on his pants. Soon he was free of all clothing, and the release of pressure was wonderful.

Kaidan finally broke his mouth's hold on her and lifted both her shirt and her bra over her head. After that, with a slide of his hand he was able to remove the last piece of fabric between them, her underwear, and he could take delight in the feel of her naked body under his.

"God…" He said throatily while she ran her fingers over the lines of his body.

"Hmm?"

He had stopped moving and was lying hovering between her thighs, his arms on either side of her to support him. "After all this time with you, I still feel like…this is the first time. Even if was awkwardly done in a Mako.”

His heart was thumping rapidly against his chest, audible in his own ears.

Her eyes went soft when he said this, and her hand automatically going to rest on his chest, where skin was the only thing keeping her from literally holding his heart in her hands. Figuratively, she's achieved that years ago.

"I love you," she whispered, pulling him back into another kiss.

He could feel the heat radiating from her in pulsing waves. She waited for him to claim what was his and that thought alone was enough to make him shiver. But he didn't yet…

Instead he worshipped and caressed her body with his tongue, lips, and hands. She deserved every bit of what he had to offer, and he intended to give her what she deserved.

He was intensely aware of everything about her. The weight of her breasts, the feeling of her nipples against his chest, the smooth skin of her legs as they twisted with his, her stomach contracting against his with every sensitive spot he hit, making them both groan in the pleasure of being able to effect each other so strongly.

She was already moaning with her eyes closed when he finally gave her what she craved to feel. She'd been lost in his touch, and his entrance into her was unexpected, allowing him to revel in her initial reaction.

She gasped, and her hands clung to his shoulders tightly. He felt every muscle from her calves to her stomach tighten. Her chest rose heavily beneath him, and his senses exploded in the feel of being inside her, almost part of her, this beautiful, smart, crazy woman.

He pulled out a little ways, and then pushed inside again, farther this time. She gasped again, the sharp intake of air turning into a moan part way through.

The third time they hummed in unison. Her arm shot out desperately to grab on to something to steady herself, but there was nothing but a throw pillow to grasp.

He reached out and caught her hand in his, lacing his fingers through it tightly. He brought their hands to rest above her head, where they stayed to give each other leverage.

Again he pressed into her, and her moan sounded closer to a whine. Her free arm locked around his shoulders, while his own arm lay beneath her, at the base of her spine, to guide her through each thrust.

The feeling of moving inside her, the feeling of her tightening and shuddering around him… it was pure glory and heaven. And the emotion that came with it didn't die away with time but rejuvenated and was revived with every movement.

The heat was dizzying. He fell in love with every noise she made. It was all-consuming and he forgot where he was; only that he was with her.

He felt the hot breath of her open mouth against his neck, her temple resting against his cheek, the sound of their gasping filled the room, and her scent was all around him, her sweat clinging to his body.

Eventually he felt the building pressure of something deep within him. She too seemed to be reacting, restraining to pace herself with him. In excitement his thrusts grew more violent and powerful, and he was rewarded when a louder response escaped her lips, despite her lack of breath.

"Kaidan." She mewed while the force inside him grew. "Kaidan!"

He didn't answer her; he was lost to his own bliss. But he was scarcely aware that he too was moaning.

"Oh God, Kaidan!" She cried, throwing back her head. He finally released their hands from above her head to get a better hold on her for when they plummeted over the peak of pleasure.

With a final push, they exploded in passion and fire.

He was met with the feeling of her trembling body, and they clung to each other, riding the waves.

For seconds they didn't say anything, just swam in the ocean of physical emotion. Finally he dropped his head down to her chest in exhaustion. "Oh my God…" He said raggedly.

He tried to pull out and away from her, but she held on to him tightly, demanding that he stay in place.

"No," she managed between breaths. "Stay. Please, techboy?"

He was weak to her pleas, helpless to resist her voice so airy and smooth after so recently shouting his name. So he stayed, and held her, and whispered nothings with her until their heartbeats steadied.

```````

Reese woke up several hours later to find that Kaidan had moved them to the bed. She blinked back some sleep and glanced around to find him sitting on the edge of the bed shirtless. She yawned and placed a hand on his bare back. Seeing the data pad in his hand, she asked, “Are you okay?”

He hesitated. “I just forwarded a letter to Tali for Jona…Dorn’s son…I thought she would be able to get it to him quicker—"

“Kaidan—"

“He needs to know what his father helped accomplish. What his sacrifice meant to his people…and that his last words were about him.”

The Ops Officer sat up and hugged him from behind. She knew he was thinking of his own father…presumed dead—

“You did the right thing…”

“I know…It still seems so empty…”

“Kaidan, if someone had been able to give me what you have given Jona when my parents died, I would have been eternally grateful. It’ll be hard for him but eventually your words will help make it easier,” she assured the Major as he turned to look at her.

“You…You’re sure?”

“Yes.”

“I love you.”

“And I love you. Now come back to bed.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

*****

**_Saturday, Dec. 9, 2186, SSV Normandy SR2, location: classified_ **

Kaidan found Reese working in the war room again. Since the defeat of the Reaper on Rannoch, the Ops Officer had been spending most of her time analyzing the code that Legion had obtained and transmitted to the other Geth, making them truly sentient. She had known the platform entity for only a brief time, but she had no intention of letting his sacrifice be in vain.

It was odd to the Specter to have his girlfriend working with the Geth to crack the code and make it a weapon that they could use against the Reapers. But there she was busy doing just that. Tali, when she wasn’t busy with the Admirals, were helping too. The young Quarian had come around to accept Legion as a comrade-in-arms if not a friend. She too was insistent that he have not died for nothing.

Reese was alone in the war room for once—a usual occurrence. For once Kaidan had every intention of taking advantage of that fact. Not sure if she sensed him or not, he still walked as quietly as possible towards her. When she did nothing to acknowledge his presence, he quickly placed his hands on her hips. “It’s late. Shouldn’t you be in bed with your boyfriend?”

“Kaidan!” she squeaked as she jumped.

He caught her and held her firmly to her chest. Leaning into her neck, he smiled. “You are supposed to be off duty. And I thought this was supposed to be an “us” night.”

Reese hung her head as she realized he was right, and she had forgotten all about it. “Kaid, I’m sorry. I got wrapped up in this—"

“It’s okay, Kori,” he said kissing her neck lightly. “But you didn’t even acknowledge the text I sent so now you owe me.”

“Owe you?” she asked hesitantly as she flipped open her omni tool to see the message in question. _Iloveyou. I wrote it with no spaces so there’s no room for anyone else._

Reese grinned and let out a contented sigh as he nuzzled her neck with his nose.

“Yeah. Shepard just told me. Hackett ordered the Normandy to dry dock at the Citadel for repairs. All crew is to take _mandatory_ shore leave,” Kaidan informed her with a mischievous grin watching as she closed down her tool.

She turned to glance up at him. “Alenko—"

“Ah, no argument. Hackett’s orders,” the Major said. “The Geth can work on this for a few days…Maybe you’ll have a new perspective on it after a vacation…”

She looked at him unconvinced. Sighing, she said, “ _Fine_. I guess there’s no use arguing when an Admiral orders it.”

“Don’t look at it as a punishment,” Kaidan said a little hurt. He lowered his voice as he hooked a finger under her chin to make her look at him. “This could be a good time for _us_ …”

Reese narrowed her eyes skeptically.

“ _Us_. You know—you and me, together. No missions, no life or death situations, no crazy stunts putting one of us in the hospital or medbay…” he clarified as a smile slowly spread across her features.

“I think that might be good…”

“ _Might_ be? You don’t sound too convinced. Besides you always assume you’re being punished instead of rewarded,” he observed.

“It’s because I usually am,” she replied with a cheeky grin.

“Hmmm, do I need to punish you now for messing up our plans earlier?”

“Oh, please, Major Alenko, discipline me,” she replied in a mocking tone.

“Tease,” he said as he kissed her and pulled her out of the war room. If she was going to be like this on shore leave, it would be anything but uneventful…


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> @@@smut during the flashback scene@@@

**_Monday, December 11, 2186, SSV Normandy SR2, en route to the Citadel_ **

The Normandy was still a day and a half out from the Citadel. Everyone was busy trying to tie up loose ends before their mandatory shore leave. Reese had cheated and automated most of her research projects with the help of EDI and Traynor. So now all she had to do was help get things ready for the Alliance techs making the repairs to the Normandy. It wasn’t that hard, but it was a necessary evil since the ship as so unique. EDI was making sure everything was as it was supposed to be as well. The AI had even assured the crew she would keep an eye on their belongings as Joker had insisted the visiting techs would steal things.

Reese shook her head in amusement as she sat on the bed cross legged looking over a brochure for the Citadel. This time she wasn’t going there on business. It was pleasure, something she wasn’t used to. Looking over the tourism guides, she found many things that interested her but wasn’t sure if Kaidan would share her opinion. She planned on asking him when he finished his latest round of updates for the students that had been found. Many were off world aiding Alliance forces; others were on Earth doing the same. Still there was a small percentage not accounted for. A few weeks prior, she had offered the use of her tracking program which had helped to find some but not all of them. Only time would tell…

She glanced up from her data pads to see Kaidan sitting on the couch, concentrating hard on writing up something for his ‘kids’ as she had started calling them. She smiled and went back to her own little project. Hoping he was having success with whatever he was instructing them in, the Ops Officer decided that he had been right. This mandatory shore leave should be about them, just the two of them. She doubted she could have him to herself the entire leave, but she could try. It reminded her of a brief shore leave they had taken after the defeat of Saren and Sovereign…

^^^^^

**_2183, outside Vancouver, Canada, Earth, Sol System_ **

_After the Battle of the Citadel and numerous ceremonies, the crew of the Normandy had been granted extended shore leave. The ship had returned to Arcturus Station for repairs while everyone had gone their own ways. Shepard had disappeared off the radar as soon as he was able. Just about the same time Dr. T’Soni had left as well. Rumors abounded that they had gone off to some resort colony together. Either way the attention allowed for a certain other member of the ground team that had taken out Saren to disappear without any problems._

_Lt. Kaidan Alenko had put in his own shore leave request and stated Earth as his destination. In a departure from his normal detailed oriented manner, he had left it that vague on purpose. If the Alliance brass really needed to find him that bad, they could find him no problem. But the woman wandering around his cabin was the reason for his vagueness. She had convinced him to take at least part of his leave with her. Still not wanting to advertise their relationship more than they already had, the Lt.’s had opted to keep their location as secret as possible. When he had suggested his cabin in the middle of Vancouver’s vast woods, Reese had jumped at the opportunity._

_He watched from his terminal as she took in all the things he had accumulated since BAaT. He had begun constructing the cabin after this departure from Jump Zero and graduating high school. It had taken some time as he traveled here and there before settling on joining the Alliance. Over the years it had become a place to store his memories. Things he didn’t want to share with people he was on assignment with. Yet here he was showing it to a woman he had known for, in reality, only a matter of months and it seemed natural to do so. Occasionally she would smile at something or pick something up to examine it closer. Her face was full of questions, but she didn’t ask anything…yet._

_He returned his attention to the terminal as he finished setting up a forwarding system for both their messages. He knew Reese wanted to spend some time with him without work but staying in touch was still a necessity._

_Suddenly, he felt a hand caress his bare arm as he finished the commands. He looked over to his right and saw Reese looking up at him. In her other hand, she held a picture… **That** picture…The one he had debated on hiding…_

_He looked into her grey eyes and saw questions, but she was silent. He glanced at the picture and then to her. He slowly pulled the frame away from her chest to reveal a picture of several teenagers. It appeared to be a class picture. Kaidan was there. So was a young blonde woman who stood very close to him, almost leaning her head on his arm. Everyone seemed happy, but the words above their heads let her know it hadn’t lasted._ Gagarin Station, BAaT 2167.

_“It’s the only picture from Brian Camp. It was a couple months in before everything started happening, before it got scary,” Kaidan said softly trying to find the best way to explain. With everything about that time classified, he was still surprised he had managed to save the picture._

_Reese looked down at the photo. He knew she was looking at the girl…Rahna…_

_“It’s her. The girl I tried to protect and scared off instead….Rahna,” he said as he let go of the picture and turned away from Reese. What had he been thinking, bringing her here? No one came here…He didn’t bring anyone here. It was just a bunch of stuff he had collected and couldn’t let go of. Now he was staring at an old picture trying to justify the feelings he had felt as a teenager, his first love…_

_He heard a click of wood on wood and then some shuffling footsteps, but all he could think was that he had finally driven Reese away too with his sensitivity, his integrity, his need to be truthful…Suddenly he saw Reese standing in front of him. Her grey eyes gazing back at him with nervousness and affection. He watched as she placed a hand lightly on his unshaven cheek._

_“You said you had come to terms with it all. All I want to know is: do you want me here? **Really** want me here. Not because I wanted to come or suggested we spend shore leave together. Do you want me—“_

_Suddenly, he pushed her back against the counter, pinning her with his strong arms. "It's different with us," he rasped, his biotics suddenly flaring. The electricity sparking against her skin as his lips opened over the side of the throat. She moaned at his unexpected dominance. He hoisted her up, wrapping her legs around his waist as he ground his hips against hers._

_"I want you here with me, no one else." One hand snaked up her torso, cupping her breast and thumbing her nipple when it hardened from the contact even through her clothes. "I don't know if I could stand anyone else even thinking about you like this."_

_Reese began pulling at his tee shirt, her hands seeking the smooth skin of his chest, fingers greedily scraping across his stomach. "I…don’t want anyone else…"_

_Her hands fisted in his hair as she crushed her lips to his, the sentinel moaning into her mouth. Reese took advantage of his momentary distraction and, dropping her feet to the floor, flipped their positions so quickly she almost knocked the air out of Kaidan's lungs. She grinned wickedly, working on removing his belt as she dragged him towards the other side of the cabin, towards the bedroom._

_Reese didn't waste any time completely removing his pants once they made it through the door, kneeling in front of him as she slid the fabric down his toned legs. Kaidan leaned back against the smooth wood of the wall as she took his hardened length in her hand and stroked him from tip to base and back again several times before taking him into her mouth. He groaned and let his head fall back against the door frame, one hand fisting in her hair while the other curled in on itself._

_She stroked along the bottom with her tongue as she pulled him in and out, her eyes twinkling with mischief as she looked up at him, knowing that she was going to make him lose control. The blue electricity dancing along his skin was proof of that. Kaidan slammed his free hand back into the door, channeling the biotic energy that had been coiling dangerously inside him into the wood instead of Reese's soft flesh, unconcerned that he put a large dent in the paneling._

_Once his biotics were back in his control, he used the hand still fisted in her hair to gently tug her head back, encouraging her to stand, the smooth skin of her neck exposed to his lips. He nibbled her flesh for a few moments to distract her while he prepared a low powered stasis field and caught her in it from the neck down, her eyes widening in shock._

_"That…that's cheating," she stammered as he began peeling her clothes off, raising goose bumps across her skin anywhere his energy-extended fingers touched. "You…you're not playing…fair…"_

_He smirked and rolled her nipples between thumb and forefingers. "Nice of you to notice," he breathed in her ear before pushing her underwear off her body and discarding them the other items. “I told you I have patience and know when to use my biotics and when not to…”_

_Kaidan pulled her against him abruptly, delighting in the heat of her skin on his. He pinned her between the wall and his body and reached between them to tease her clit, finding her even slicker than usual. "Oh, sweetheart," he groaned, his fingers dipping inside her. "Maybe I should do this more often."_

_"Please, Kaidan, I need you," she panted, her head tilting back as he touched her just so, making her muscles spasm around him in release. Had she not been restrained by his stasis field, he knew her hips would have been greedily pumping against him. By the same token, he was almost one hundred percent positive if he didn’t have the field in place her legs would have given out by now._

_When she had ridden out the waves of her orgasm, he released his field and joined his body to hers as she wrapped her limbs around him. The pace he set was both fast and demanding, thrusting into her as solidly as she was rocking her hips against him, the little whimpers she was making in the back of her throat driving him crazy. She looked down at him, her gaze an earnest mix of her steadfast adoration and the heated desire he had caused in her. It sent him over the edge and he spasmed inside her as her muscles clenched around him, her end triggered by his own._

_He carried her to the bed, where he showered her with tender kisses before they fell asleep, on top of the sheets but still curled in each other's arms. Right where they were supposed to be._

_^^^^^_

The morning after that encounter, Kaidan had been quiet, almost shy. When she had inquired about his silence, he admitted he had never used biotic when he had been intimate with anyone before. Reese had kissed him and told him that it wasn’t anything to be ashamed of. In fact, she had found that she rather enjoyed it. After that, the sentinel had spent their nights together finding new ways to pleasure her. Once Alenko found out a new way to do something, he spent a lot of time refining the technique. One trait she was very thankful for.

But that night had also brought another thing to her attention. Whenever Kaidan was faced with a strong emotional decision concerning her--fear, doubt, need--he lost control of his biotics to a degree and usually needed physical contact to reassure himself that it would be alright or that he had made the correct decision. Usually it ended in the L2 being extremely possessive of her and using his biotics to demonstrate the point. At first it had worried her, but she soon realized that even after years apart, she was still an emotional sheath for him. His hard-earned control was impressive but sometimes, especially when she was involved, something more was needed. The incident after Angel One was a prime example. One that she had no desire to repeat, but they were both much more aware of the problems now and able to deal with them.

As she bookmarked another possible place to visit, Reese glanced up to see Kaidan looking back at her. His terminal was shut down and he was simply sitting on the couch leaning forward, resting his chin on his hands. He wore that goofy grin of his she teased him about when he was in his own world. But she really knew most of the time he was thinking of her or them. He cocked his head when she frowned at him but said nothing.

“What? What did I do now?” she asked, only lending credence to the Major’s theory that she had a guilty conscious.

“You are here with me,” he said simply.

She raised an eyebrow. “Well, I could go find Vega and see if he wants—"

“Oh no you don’t—,” Kaidan stated firmly as he cast a stasis field around her.

“Ummm, I’m pretty sure that this is _still_ cheating,” she replied as he stalked toward her.

Kneeling down on the bed in front of her, he pushed the data pads on to the floor. “Probably, but I seem to remember you like my biotics…one of the few people who do…”

He released the stasis field and pushed her gently to lie on the bed. She reached a hand up and cupped his face. “I have _always_ liked you biotics, Alenko. Don’t ever think otherwise.”

“Yes, ma’am,” he replied as he kissed her lightly. He looked down at her with whiskey colored eyes in silence for a long moment. “You…I don’t know what I would without you, Kora Dawn Reese.”

She heard the sincerity in her voice but couldn’t help but cringe at the use of her full name. “Kaidan, why—"

“Because I want to be the only one who calls you that. The only one who will ever know you like I do. I want this to be for as long as we have…” he said, running his fingers through her hair.

Reese looked up at him, unsure what to say. He smiled at her. “I want you to be my last love…”

She smiled at him and had the feeling that he wanted to say more but didn’t know how yet. “I’m not going anywhere without you, Alenko. And that is a promise.”

*****

**_Wednesday, December 13, 2186, Citadel, Widow System, Serpent Nebula_ **

Most of the crew was making finally preparations for the Alliance repair team to board the Normandy. Most were eager to take their mandatory shore leave. Others were as well but were taking extra time to make sure the SR2 was in shape for visiting techs. At the moment one such officer was watching as several teenagers had made their way to the docking bay for the Normandy and were making faces at the cameras and at the departing crew members. She made a face at the boys and got an idea. Looking over at the two men running final checks on the systems, she checked over her own duties and found them complete.

Smiling, the Lt. Comdr. excused herself from the CIC and made her way to the shuttle bay. Hoping she would have enough time to do what she wanted to do before Shepard and Alenko noticed she was gone, she donned her armor equipped with the tactical cloak. Making sure she was alone in the bay, she exited the Normandy. Reese headed towards the area that she had seen the boys earlier. Climbing along the railing and other barriers around the Normandy, she quickly located the group of juveniles who were currently attempting to deface the ship. Reese let out a growl and held her temper in check. In this case, a prank would teach them a lesson quicker and more permanently than yelling.

“Come on, man. Defacing the Normandy? That’s Commander Shepard’s ship!” one of the boys said.

“Yeah, well he worked for Cerberus…and the Alliance let Earth be taken by the Reapers,” replied another kid.

Reese shook her head. They couldn’t have been over 15 or 16 years old. They would have had no real understanding of all the logistics behind why things happened the way they had happened. Hell, she barely did sometimes, and she was one of the ones providing intel and resources to combat the Reapers and Cerberus. She watched from above as the group’s leader moved forward with what looked like a bottle of spray paint towards the ship’s hull.

_Aww, hell no…_

“Man, I don’t think—"

“Well, you don’t have to think—"

“Maybe you should. Defacing an Alliance ship is a punishable offense,” Reese said through her helmet. She had engaged the voice modulator, so they only heard a distorted artificial voice. “So is trespassing.”

“Who said that?”

“It doesn’t matter, unless you want to be reported to C-Sec and Alliance authorities,” she replied.

“Bullshit. You’re just some Alliance lackey trying to scare us.”

“You really think that?”

“Yeah…You can’t do anything to us.”

“Well, think what you want. But have you heard of the Normandy’s AI? It has a VI that kicks in to protect the ship from all threats, including punks like you.”

“Come on, let’s get out of here. This is creepy.”  
  


“You’re a wuss. This is just a wannabe hero, trying to impress Shepard.”  
  


“Try me.”

The group looked around and then proceeded to walk back towards the hull with the paint. Suddenly an orange arrow struck the can causing it to explode. Several more arrows struck similar targets with the same results.

“Holy shit, man. It wasn’t joking!!!”

“No. I wasn’t. Now go turn yourselves into C-Sec authorities and tell them _EVIL_ sent you,” Reese said as she tried not to laugh. The boys went running as they looked back to see her tactical cloak shimmer just enough to let them know something real had been there.

“ _REESE_!!! What the hell are you doing?” yelled Shepard over the comm.

The Ops Officer grinned and couldn’t help but laugh.

`````

“Cmdr. Shepard, I believe I should inform you that Lt. Cmdr. Reese is currently dealing with a problem outside the Normandy,” EDI stated as she sat in the chair beside Joker.

“What problem?” the N7 said. “You didn’t say there was a problem.”

“She took it upon herself to deal with it stating that you and Major Alenko were busy with final checks,” the AI replied with half a smile.

“Yeah, you two may want to check out the external monitors,” Joker said with amusement in his voice.

“I don’t see anything but a bunch of boys…” Shepard replied.

“Attempting to give the Normandy a new paint job,” Kaidan added as he pointed out he paint cans.

“Not on my ship they don’t,” the N7 exclaimed as he turned to head out of the cockpit.

“Ummm, I think Reese is taking care of that, Shepard,” the Major observed as he pointed back to the screen with a knowing grin.

The Captain of the Normandy looked at where his friend indicated and saw several small explosions proceeded by orange arrows. “ _REEESE_!!! What the hell are you doing?”

`````

Reese still sat on her perch watching as the boys were taken into custody by C-Sec. Still cloaked, she smiled as the teens gestured frantically back in her direction, most likely trying to explain a rogue VI telling them to turn themselves in. In truth, she had already informed C-Sec of the situation and they had already been on their way to the dock to apprehend the group.

Currently, however, her CO and her boyfriend were jogging down the platform toward her location. Kaidan looked amused, Shepard not so much. They came to a stop below her, but she made no move to confirm they were in the right spot. Shepard looked up and said, “Reese, what are you doing?”

She turned the voice modulator off and replied, “Preventing the Normandy from receiving a custom paint job.”

“Exactly _how_ did you do that? I’m receiving reports from C-Sec that those boys are saying they were attacked by a rogue Alliance VI names _EVIL_.”

“Well, I may have alluded to something like that, but either way, they are in C-Sec custody now and won’t be painting ships anytime soon.”

“Was exploding paint cans really necessary?”

“Necessary? No. Fun and made an impression? Yes.”

“Kori—" Alenko said in a warning tone.

“I had already informed C-Sec of the situation and told them I would hold the boys until they arrived…I _may_ have neglected to say exactly _how_ I would detain them though…” she replied still cloaked.

Shepard rolled his eyes and turned to the other Specter. “Major, do _something_ with your girlfriend before I throw her in the brig for the remainder of shore leave.”

He left the two alone as Kaidan looked up to where her voice had been coming from. “You coming down from there before you get me in to trouble too?”

“Maybe,” she replied.

“ _Kori_ ,” he cautioned.

“You know, you’re cute when you’re annoyed,” she observed as she flipped down to stand in front of him.

“This isn’t annoyed _yet_ …” he replied.

“I supposed if you continued to talk to an invincible person _that_ would make you annoyed…”

“Well, having people think the second human Specter is crazy sure wouldn’t help my image…”

Reese turned the cloak off. She looked up at the Major with a smile. “There is nothing wrong with your image, Alenko. In fact, you are the poster boy for the Alliance. Especially for biotics.”

She walked passed him and threw over her shoulder. “Besides I didn’t realize being a Specter had made you so vain.”

“It hasn’t, Lt. Cmdr.,” he protested as he jogged to catch up with her.

“Well, in that case, you won’t mind my other idea about this tactical gear I have…”

“What exactly is that?”

“Well, this cloak is Alliance N program issue with some modifications a friend of Shepard’s let me have…”

“Kasumi Goto, the thief?”

“Yeah. It lets me use my omni-tool without shimmering and phasing. It doesn’t give my position away as easily.”

“Okay…”

“I thought it might have some applications in the bedroom, Major.”

Kaidan stopped in his tracks as he watched her walk up the ramp to the Normandy. “You can’t be serious.”

“With that kind of attitude, you’ll never know, Alenko.”

He watched as she disappeared into the ship. Maybe Shepard had been right. He really needed to do something with her before she got both of them into trouble before their leave even officially started.

*****

**_Thursday, December 14, 2186, Specter Kaidan Alenko’s Apartment, Citadel_ **

“He fell through the fish tank?” Reese asked as she rolled over on the bed. Her head hanging off, causing her to look at the Sentinel upside down.

He looked over at her from the dresser in the bedroom and shook his head. “Yeah, apparently Shepard’s pissed off another group of people. This time they’re using CAT6 guys.”

Reese exhaled slowly as a smile spread across her face. “But he fell through a fish tank?”

“ _Yes_ , Kori. He fell through the tank because the mercs blew it up,” Kaidan clarified as he put away the last of his clothes. They were staying in the Specter provided apartment he had but never used. It was still weird for him to have such a place because of his job. Either way, he had decided showing it to Kori may help keep her out of trouble.

“Awww, it’s nice that you come to your friend’s defense. I’ll have to let him know you were defending him against my harmless teasing,” she kidded as she stretched. It was after dinner time on their first full day of shore leave and their mighty leader had already found some new playmates.

“Kori, you just don’t know when to stop teasing do you?” he asked as he walked over to her. “Shepard is really in trouble this time and you’re laughing.”

“He’s _always_ in trouble and you know he wouldn’t have it any other way,” the Lt. Cmdr. protested as he looked at him upside down.

Kaidan come to a stop in front of the bed and eyed her. “Maybe, but he and Liara are working the casino tomorrow night based on the information she and EDI came up with. Brooks is supposed to help too. Everyone else is back up.”

“If you’re back up what are you doing here?” she asked seriously. She had been busy with fielding questions the techs had sent to her and Traynor while the Commander had been enjoying his outing with his new playmates earlier.

He knelt down and kissed her. “I _am_ back-up but I was told to keep you out of trouble in the meantime.”

“Me? Trouble?” the N6 asked innocently as she batted her eyelashes.

“Yes. You,” he confirmed with a smirk as he added, “Depending on what they find, I might have to leave at some point…”

Reese rolled over onto her stomach and said trying to keep the disappointment out of her voice, “There goes shore leave…”

He heard the frustration in her tone anyway and quickly cupped her face with both hands. “Don’t worry about that. There’s going to be time enough for us. I promise, Kori.”

She looked at him and smiled. “I know. I had just hoped for once that maybe we could not start things off with a bang. I think I momentarily forgot who my CO was.”

“Well, maybe, but you did chase a bunch of kids away using SpecOps cloaking tech…” Alenko reminded her with a grin.

“Okay, fine,” she said pulling away from him in false annoyance. “I _knew_ that was going to come back and bit me in the ass.”

“I like your ass though…” he commented with a cheeky grin.

“Alenko, if you weren’t—"

He only gazed back at her with his most innocent grin, the one she could never resist. When she softened her expression and grinned back he asked, “So what was _EVIL_ supposed to stand for anyway?”

“Oh, nothing…just something I made up…”

“Ha, you never do anything like that without thinking it through. You are too good at pulling jokes to let that opportunity go to waste.”

Reese sighed and admitted, “Enhanced Virtual Intelligence Logistics.”

“Really?”

“I get bored running sims and numbers sometimes…EDI and I have some… _interesting_ conversations,” she admitted as he ran a hand through her hair absentmindedly.

“Well, I can think of some things to do if you’re bored now…” he said with a mischievous grin.

“And you said I was incorrigible…”

“What can I say? You’re a bad influence on me…”

“Well, if that’s what you really think, then I guess I’ll just leave—"

“Oh no you don’t, Reese. Neither one of us is leaving ever again,” he declared as he tackled her to the bed.

She laughed and giggled as she said, “You use those high school football moves to pin women to beds, Major?”

“Not women, just you,” he clarified as he nuzzled her hair with his nose. “Only you.”

“Kaidan…”

“I’ve only wanted you for so long…I was so stupid…I want to be what you need…”

“You already are what I need, Kaidan. Despite everything you helped me become stronger and a better person.”

“I love you, Kori.”

“I love you too, Kaidan. I always will.”


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> @@@smut in the last section when they return to Kaidan’s apartment@@@

****

**_Saturday, December 16, 2186, Citadel, Widow System, Serpent Nebula_ **

They had been shot at, ambushed, almost entombed in the Council archive, and discovered the CAT6 mercs were working for one of TIM’s failed plans: a clone of Shepard. Life with the Commander was never boring, that was for sure, Kaidan thought as he rode in the car with Joker, Shepard, and EDI. The rest of the team was making their own ways to the Normandy which was currently in the process of being stolen by the clone. Between Joker’s complaining about the ship being stolen and EDI’s spasmatic fit when the clone shut her down on the Normandy itself, the second human Specter couldn’t help but take a moment to chuckle at the absurdity of the situation.

He sighed as he checked his omni-tool again. No messages. _Nothing_. At this point Kori would have to have known something was going on. She had not joined them in the excursion into the archive because she was needed on the Normandy with Traynor for the repairs. There was no way she couldn’t have known what was going on but Alenko would have thought she would have commed him by now. He had left messages about their current status. But nothing…

Shepard glanced back at the other man. “Anything?”

Kaidan looked up in surprise as he quickly shut off his tool. He’d been caught worrying about personal matters when the most advanced ship in the Alliance fleet was being stolen by a clone of the best soldier the Alliance had ever produced.

“Reese hasn’t reported in with anyone,” the N7 clarified as Joker slowed the speed of the car.

“No. I haven’t heard from her either. _Nothing_. And that has me…worried,” the sentinel admitted reluctantly.

“This is as close as we get. Any closer and C-Sec opens fire on the car,” Joker stated as he lowered the vehicle near the docking area.

The Normandy loomed in the distance as Shepard checked his rifle. “Everybody out. I want our ship back.”

“I’ll go back and get the others. Maybe we can convince the docking authorities someone is stealing the ship,” Joker said.

The three exiting crew members looked at him skeptically. “Okay, okay. That was a little too optimistic for me. We’ll just stop it ourselves like we _always_ do.”

“That’s more like it,” Shepard replied as he quickly surveyed the distance between them and the ship.

As the hatch closed, EDI observed, “Major, Reese is very capable. She will assess the situation and either act remotely with C-Sec most likely or directly incurring large causalities for the opposition or causing them great annoyance. Possibly both.”

“Either way, she’ll do what she’s been trained to do, but we can’t count on her still being aboard,” Shepard replied as they began their way toward the Normandy.

“Understood,” Kaidan said dispassionately. He would follow orders and do what was necessary to see the mission through. Under all that control, though, he was worried that his worst fear had finally come true.

~~~~~~

As Kaidan rounded the corner to the boarding area of the Normandy he heard Traynor yelling at what he could only assume was Shepard. EDI had gone ahead to see if entry into the ship was still possible as he brought up the rear. By what he was hearing, the L2 wondered if the day could get any weirder.

“…You kicked me off the ship with barely enough time to grab my toothbrush,” the Specialist said as Alenko turned to find her shoving her precious toothbrush into the Commander’s face.

“I’m _not_ the one who fired you. I’m the real Shepard…That is a Cision Pro Mark 4 toothbrush. It uses tiny mass effect fields to break up plaque…” the N7 said as proof of who he really was. Kaidan and EDI walked past the two to inspect the airlock door. Only Shepard would remember the details of a crewmember’s toothbrush…

“Well, if it wasn’t you…who threw me off the ship?” Traynor asked still confused.

As EDI overrode the outer airlock door, Kaidan turned around and stated matter-of-factly, “A Cerberus clone is trying to take over Shepard’s life.”

With that he turned back to the inner door and walked with EDI to investigate the Normandy’s airlock door. Shepard looked at the young woman compassionately. “I’ll explain everything later. Right now we have to stop my clone…”

He walked over to the others. As the two techs tried to overwrite the door commands, he knew it would more than likely be futile. He turned back to Traynor and asked, “Is there anyone still aboard who might be able to help us?”

“No,” Traynor replied. “I was only there because I helped with the retrofits back on Earth. Everyone else was on shore leave.”

Shepard narrowed his eyes and asked, “What about Reese?”

Traynor shook her head. “The Lt. Commander said she had finished whatever the techs needed her help with and left in quite a hurry.”

“A _hurry_?” Kaidan asked his curiosity piqued. Maybe his messages had gotten through…

“Umm, yes. She received a message on her omni-tool and seemed bothered by it. She didn’t tell me about it except to say she had something very important to take care of,” the Specialist replied.

Alenko didn’t inquire further as Shepard said, “Okay, you know this ship inside and out. Is there a way to get me inside?”

Traynor thought for a moment as Alenko checked his tool one more time. She quickly moved behind the Commander and knelt on the floor. “There’s an emergency exit hatch used for evacuations. It should be right… _here_.”

She removed the deck plate as Shepard stepped across from her to inspect the hatch, Kaidan following suit. He used his omni-tool to scan it and growled in frustration. “Manual lock and it’s only meant to be opened from the other side,” he reported looking at the other Specter for options. “Any ideas?”

“I could trigger it with a biotic field, but I don’t think I have the fine control we need,” admitted Kaidan as Traynor came to stand beside them and activated her toothbrush.

“You’ve _got_ to be kidding…” Kaidan said with a grin.

“Traynor’s toothbrush emits the precise mass effect field required to trigger the door hatch,” replied EDI with something akin to amusement.

Suddenly Kaidan’s omni-tool beeped. He opened it and saw a one-word message. “Mako.”

He smiled as Shepard said, “I guess she’s okay?”

“Yeah,” the Major said as he checked his weapon again. “But I have no idea where she is.”

The N7 grinned and said, “I think I do…”

Kaidan rolled his eyes and said, “Can we just concentrate on removing your psycho clone from our ship and not on what my unorthodox girl friend is more than likely doing, please?”

EDI was helping Traynor position the toothbrush at the right point to activate the hatch release as Shepard said, “She texted _Mako_ , didn’t she?”

It took everything the Major had not to turn red. He had long suspected the other man had known what had happened in the Mako on the SR1 years ago. He just hadn’t been prepared for him to tease him about it in front of others. Attempting to maintain a sense of professionalism, he replied, “I am not going to dignify that with a reply.”

“You don’t have to. Your face did,” the N7 commented as the evac hatch popped open. Ignoring the sentinel’s glare, he quickly turned back to business. “Traynor, we’re going to retake the ship. I want you to meet up with the others and try to stop the ship from leaving the Citadel if we…have problems. Do whatever it takes.”

She hesitated and then saluted. “Yes, sir.”

As the Specialist hurriedly left the docking port, the others descended into the evac hatch--Shepard taking the lead with EDI in the rear. Kaidan now focused on the mission and secretly harboring a hope that they would meet up with Kori soon. His thoughts were interrupted when EDI asked, “Why does the mention of a Mako always result in the increase in pulse and related life sign readings indicating an extreme emotional response for either the Major or Lt. Cmdr.?”

Kaidan’s eyes went wide as they climbed down an access tube towards the CIC. Before he could reply, Shepard came to his friend’s rescue. “EDI, there are just some things you are going to have to discover on your own about human courting rituals.”

Alenko muttered a ‘thank you’ under his breath as Shepard said, “Your welcome.”

~~~~~~

“If you had told me this morning that a toothbrush was going to help save the Normandy, I’d have been very skeptical,” Shepard commented as they awkwardly made their way through another duct. Finally they were on the CIC deck though.

Armor and weapons didn’t make the trek through the access tubes and ducts any easier or quieter. Kaidan just added to yet another thing he could tell the next generation about his travels with the invincible Commander Shepard. “Well, I guess paying three thousand credits for a toothbrush doesn’t seem so silly now…”

“Hindsight is 20/20 is the correct saying I believe,” a voice said from a side duct.

“ _Kori_?” Kaidan found himself saying involuntarily. Quickly, he corrected himself. “Reese, where the hell have you been?”

“Good to see you too, _Major_ ,” she replied as she shimmered to life beside them. “I’ve been playing hide and seek with Shepard.”

The N7 glared at his first officer as she added, “The _imposter_ one, sir…I wasn’t able to stop them from shutting down EDI…They know the ship layout too well, even with the Alliance retrofits. I’m sorry, EDI.”

“I am certain you did all that you could,” the AI replied.

“The clone made all the techs leave on Specter authority but Traynor wouldn’t go. I stuck near her to make sure they didn’t do anything rash…Finally I had to pretend to be one of them and suggest just throwing her off…” Reese reported as Shepard looked down the duct.

“You made sure she got off so we could get on,” he observed as he looked back to her.

“Well, that was sort of _part_ of the plan…” she admitted.

Kaidan looked at her hard. “The other plan was for you to take out the entire group by yourself if we failed to get on board.”

She looked at him but said nothing. Instead Shepard replied, “She would do her duty just like you would, Major.”

“Yes, sir,” he said as he checked his gun for the hundredth time.

Reese turned back to her CO and said, “Your clone keeps that Cerberus reject nearby. I think she’s the one with all the intel on the Normandy. Not him. Or at least she knows more but doesn’t tell everything.”

“Trying to keep herself useful,” Shepard said as he turned back to his team. “The rest of the mercs?”

“Separated into groups by deck in key areas…but I would say if you make your location known they’d converge on you…” she said. “They are bound to know someone’s aboard now since the hatch was breeched…”

“He’s arrogant enough to think they could take you out and send everything…” Kaidan observed.

“If he did that, I could try and retake either the cockpit or the AI Core—" Reese suggested as Alenko stared at her pointedly.

“Negative, LC. You’re staying with us. These guys are ex-Alliance. I want everyone together…No heroics. Take them out. Retake the ship. And take him out. Understood?”

“But, sir, splitting up offers…” she started to protest as Kaidan rested a gloved hand on her arm. He shook his head no.

“I need you with the team, in case something happens that EDI can’t handle in her current condition. You have your tactical cloak which will help in closed quarters fighting…” he clarified as he looked back at Kaidan. “Besides I’d rather not face down an enraged L2 if my evil clone took you out.”

Shepard smiled and started heading down the duct again.

“He did _not_ just say that,” Reese commented as she started after him.

“I believe he did. If you are unsure I can replay the comment for you, Reese,” EDI offered helpfully.

“Ummm, thanks but no thanks, EDI,” the LC replied as Kaidan looked on in disbelief.

“I’m _not_ an enraged L2. I never have been…Why would he say that?” the biotic asked.

“He’s joshing you, Mr. Serious,” Reese teased. “Now come on, techboy. We have a Shepard to take down.”

“You’ll never say that again,” Kaidan replied as he regained his senses and moved past her to take position behind the Commander.

“I hope so,” she replied as she bumped his behind with her shoulder.

He looked back at her with a grin until EDI whispered, “Mako.”

Suddenly both the biotics turned red and Shepard laughed. “Now you’re learning, EDI.”

~~~~~

“Sometimes I hate it when you’re right,” Kaidan shouted as he popped off another around at the CAT6 mercs.

Reese let loose a warp as she replied, “Oh no you don’t. You wouldn’t have it any other way.”

“Remind me why having a girlfriend that is always right is a good thing,” he said as the number of mercs dwindled to almost nothing. Shepard was holding nothing back as he led the way to take back his ship.

“Put it this way, there’s less to fight about because we know I’m right and you’re wrong,” she said as EDI added her supporting fire.

“The Lt. Cmdr. statically has a probability of 95% or better of being correct based on my time knowing her,” the AI added indifferently.

“Thanks, EDI, that is very helpful,” he replied as he sent out a reave at the last two mercs.

Shepard quickly took them out as Reese and EDI did a sweep with their omni-tools to make sure there were no further surprises. When they concluded they were safe for the moment, the N7 motioned for them to head toward the elevator. As the others entered, the Specter stopped and looked at a cart with a bunch of random stuff on it. _His_ stuff.

“He. Is. Dead.,” the Commander stated flatly as he moved into the elevator.

Reese looked at her CO with something akin to alarm as Kaidan whispered, “They messed with his stuff.”

She mouthed ‘oh’ as the N7 said, “My hamster is MIA. I want him found. And I want the clone dead.”

“Ummm, understood?” Reese replied sounding more like a question than an acknowledgement.

As the elevator began its decent to the shuttle bay, EDI chimed in. “These men are showing disrespect to my home, my body. It is…unacceptable. I intend to kill Shepard’s clone, Agent Brooks, and anyone else in my way.”

Kaidan said cautiously, “Sounds…like a plan.”

“That _is_ the plan,” Shepard clarified firmly.

Reese turned to Kaidan and said softly, “Remind me never to piss either one of them off.”

“Noted,” he replied as the AI and N7 eyed them. Suddenly Reese activated her cloak, leaving Kaidan the only visible target for their anger. “That is so unfair.”

He felt her breath on his cheek as she said so only he could hear, “I’ll make it up to you later, Kaid.”

He smiled despite the glares. This was definitely one hell of a weird day…

~~~~~

After the battle in the shuttle bay, Joker and Cortez’s aircar stunt, and regaining control of the Normandy, Reese decided she had only been half right. A good portion of the CAT6 guys had remained with the clone to secure the bay. Either way, EDI was flying the Normandy and keeping the lone pilot… _occupied_. Brooks was down but the clone was still hanging on so to speak.

Reese had her weapon trained on the injured Brooks as Alenko and EDI went to aid the Commander. She watched as Kaidan dove to the edge of the ramp with EDI anchoring him. Shouting their CO’s name, he reached for him as the clone yelled in anger.

“Look at you! What makes you so damned special? Why you and not me?”

“We got you!” the Major yelled as he pulled him back from the edge. Shepard crawled back up the ramp as he turned back to the clone.

“Come with us,” he offered.

“ _Why_? So you can have a clear conscious? So you can _gloat_?” the clone spat.

“No. So you can _live_ ,” the true Specter replied with his hand extended toward his other self.

Looking at Brooks and Reese, the clone saw his Cerberus agent glance away. He turned back to Shepard and smirked. “No.”

Letting go, the clone fell to his death, leaving everyone in shock. Reese glanced at the deck plates and whispered a prayer to whoever would listen. After that, she placed Brooks in restraints and waited for orders. The others walked over to her as EDI informed them she was bringing the Normandy back to docking bay D24. Everyone was silent as the ship docked. Not quite sure what to make of the day’s events.

After everyone was back aboard and docked safe and sound, Cortez took Brooks to the waiting authorities as Kaidan suddenly said, “I almost wished we’d shot her.”

Everyone looked at him but said nothing. It was a very _un_ -Kaidan thing to say but given the day’s event no one was willing to debate it. Instead they departed the ship, eager to try their shore leave one more time.

Shepard led the team out to meet the rest of the crew to find Liara eagerly waiting for him. As he made his way in her direction, Kaidan commented, “Shore leave… _Always_ an adventure.”

Reese walked beside the sentinel as Shepard chuckled. “Come on. Maybe we can take some actual time off. No explosions or anything. Just us.”

As the N7 met up with Liara, everyone fell in step with them and heading away from the recovered Normandy. Kaidan wrapped an arm around Reese’s waist pulling her as close to him as he could considering they were still in their armor. “That sounds fantastic.”

~~~~~

When they reached Kaidan’s apartment, the two biotics stowed their weapons in his _official_ “specter weapons locker” that had come with the place. After that, they had turned to one another and started shedding their armor. Reese had thought problems would arise on leave but nothing like what they had just experienced. The looks Kaidan kept giving her told her that _her_ problems weren’t over just yet.

As he turned to put away the last piece of armor, Reese couldn’t take the silence and stares any more. “Okay, Major. What is it?”

“It’s nothing we haven’t discussed before and we decided not to argue over it,” he replied taking longer than necessary to arrange the pieces of her armor.

She narrowed her eyes as she stood behind him in a tank top and shorts. He was similarly dressed but in a tee shirt. Suddenly she remembered the comment in the shuttle bay no one had responded to. “Kaidan, why did you say you wished we had shot Brooks?”

“That’s not what I said. I said I _almost_ wished. There’s a difference,” he clarified as he glanced over his shoulder.

“Maybe,” she said slowly crossing her arms. “But you don’t normally wish anyone dead…”

“Yeah, well, she’s caused a lot of deaths—with and without Cerberus,” he replied as he walked over to the bedroom window.

Something still didn’t sit right with her. He was frustrated with her and angry with Brooks. What was on his mind? Once the battle with the CAT6 forces had nearly concluded, Shepard, EDI, and Kaidan had concentrated fire on the clone which had left Brooks open to do what she liked. Reese had activated her cloak and stalked the ex-Cerberus agent. Unknown to the tech, Brooks had been aware of her cloak once she was able to I.D. the Lt. Commander. Apparently in addition to the dossiers she had done for the O4 Relay mission, Brooks had also composed some on key members of Shepard’s crew—Reese being one of them.

The result had been the agent’s ability to deactivate Reese’s cloak at the last minute in an attempt to stab her. The Ops Officer had been able to activate her omni-shield and deflect the blade, disarming Brooks in the process. Had Kaidan seen that?

“I thought you were busy with Shepard’s clone…I didn’t realize you saw what happened,” Reese admitted as she looked down at the floor.

“Kori, the bitch tried to kill the woman I love. She knew how to deactivate your tech. How else am I supposed to feel?” he asked as he turned to face her, his arms thrown up in frustration.

She was silent as he looked at her. When she didn’t respond, he walked over to her. “I _know_ you can take care of yourself. And Shepard is right. We will both do our duty, but sometimes you just…you didn’t even yell for help.”

“By the time I reacted…there was no need for it,” she said softly, logically.

“No need?” the Major echoed darkly. “No need for my help? She tried to kill you!”

“You needed to help Shepard…I—"

“What about now? Do you need me now?” he asked as she flashed on the previous night’s conversation.

“I _always_ need you, Kaidan. I already told you that…”

“Then let me give you what you need…”

“Kaidan—"

“Let me love you, Kori.”

“Kaidan—"

He silenced her quickly with a passionate kiss. She surrendered to him as his hands moved to grab her shoulders. The Major whispered her name against her lips as he pulled her towards the bathroom. Reese clung to his shirt as his hands started working on releasing her hair from its coiled braid. In response, she lifted up his shirt, quickly tossing it outside the bathroom.

“Kori…need shower…and you. Naked,” Alenko stated as he nibbled at her neck. “Now.”

“Is that an order, Major?” she purred as she ran her finger nails lightly over his chest.

“Hmmm, no, but I can make it one, Lt. Commander,” her replied playfully.

“Wouldn’t that be a breach of authority?” Reese asked as she pulled away from him a little.

“I think we have well and truly crossed that line a long time ago, Reese,” he observed as he turned the shower on. He turned back to her and pulled at her shirt. “Besides, I think despite everything, we’re better off having done it.”

She smiled at him and stepped backwards into the shower stream, clothes and all.

Kaidan looked at her curiously. “What…are…you…doing?”

“Teasing you, Major,” she replied with a smirk.

“Oh really?” he replied. Suddenly he rushed into the shower and pinned her to the wall. She squeaked in surprise as he quickly stripped her out of her remaining clothes and made short work of his shorts. Despite her surprise, Reese had to admit she definitely liked the new more assertive Kaidan, especially in the bedroom.

"I remember a time when you would have run away from me instead of at me, Alenko," she reminded him sternly. With a smile, he nodded once more but did not release her. She buried her head in his chest, torn between teasing and sheer joy. He stroked her back, and Reese relaxed into his familiar scent. When she felt his lips on her neck it seemed perfectly natural and Reese tightened her arms around his waist, snuggling in a little closer as the water beat down around them.  
  
Despite the water, she was decidedly warm. Kaidan's hands were less soothing and increasingly wandering, his teeth nipping at her skin. As his fingers passed across scars he was still learning, he lifted his head and whispered in her ear, "I'm so sorry."

Reese tilted her head up to look at him, not knowing whether he was apologizing for being mad earlier or still trying to make up for their past. Regardless, Kaidan crushed his lips to hers with such intensity, she was again surprised by his passion. With a groan, he lifted her, moving to hold her against the shower door.  
  
With Kaidan pressing her against the door, he kissed her deeply. Suddenly she was glad for the large frost sliding door as her knees no longer supported her. Rarely, did she ever consider her gender a factor. She was just one of the guys. With Kaidan, though, it was different. She felt appreciated in every sense of the word. And in that moment she knew that she would alays need him just as he would always need her.  
  
Kaidan's hands swept up her sides and she gasped with pleasure. She pulled his head down to her level and kissed him hungrily. With a growl, he moved his hands to her breasts, stroking and tweaking with equal parts passion and tenderness. They were both panting by then. She ran her hands over him, feeling the wet skin she so desired to feel.  
  
His muscles, as hard and flat as ever, feeling so familiar and reassuring under her hands that she could almost forget his two-year absence. Her desire for him increased as she rubbed her hands over his strong back and her mouth over his equally impressive chest. Kaidan was not shy about returning the favor. He traced her scars with his fingers and his tongue as he found them. He knew the source of some, but others had happened during their time apart. Reese believed every time he did this, it helped him deal with their past. It made her sad but also hopeful that he would eventually truly overcoming the guilt she knew he still felt about what had happened after the SR1 went down. She hugged him tightly to her, enjoying his explorations but gradually wanting more.  
  
Reese reached down and closed a hand around him, relishing the feel of his hot skin against her hand and the immediate sound of his appreciation. It wasn't enough, though. Encouraging to let her go, she knelt down. She put her mouth to good use on his conveniently located member as water droplets slid down his legs. She licked them off, covering the important areas thoroughly.

Moaning, Kaidan grasped her shoulders and urged her back to her feet. The Lt. Cmdr. took her time getting there, fueled by the increasingly urgent sounds coming from his throat. He looked down with darkened whiskey colored eyes and watched her work her way up his body, his every muscle taut under her tongue. His strong hands struggling to pull her back up.  
  
"No cheating," She chided. "Don't make me tease you more."  
  
"You--You have to…stop," he pleaded as she finally stood. "It…I’m supposed to be…"

Reese shook her head with a smile. “It’s not you or I. It’s _us_ , Kaidan.”

He wrapped his arms around her as they stood, calming a bit, letting the water run down their bodies. Their hands wandered over familiar territory, each of them guiding the other’s hands to both new and old scars. For this brief pause, though, simply being together was enough to give them both the solace they needed.

When he had himself under control again, Kaidan started a more aggressive exploration. He knew what buttons to push and proceeded to push every one of them. His tongue was hot on her wet belly and his hands busily probed delicate skin. For a time, Reese leaned back against the tiled wall and lost herself in the pleasure of feeling him touch her, of the things that he was doing. Finally, she cried out, only increasing his efforts, but she could no longer be so passive.  
  
" _Wait_ ," Reese panted. She stepped around him and reached for the soap. As he rose the Ops Officer poured it over his shoulders and rubbed bubbles down his back, soaping his backside and sliding her hands between his thighs and down his calves. She slid up his now-slick body and reached around to soap up his chest, his abs, and every inch of him that she could reach.

"Might as well use the shower for what it’s actually intended for," she said mischievously.  
  
The Specter grabbed her arm and pulled her around him, crushing her against the wall again, his skin gliding over hers. "Might as well," he said, sliding himself against her, not entering yet but teasing and torturing. He grabbed a handful of her hair and pulled her head back gently, nibbling his way down her neck while he kept her pinned against the wall with his hips. Reese used the leverage of the wall, arching her back to press harder against him, encouraging him to go farther. He lifted her once more as she wrapped her legs around his waist. Both of the biotics sighed as he finally slid into her and settled her weight to let him get as deep as possible. The Normandy’s first officer was torn between reveling in the feeling and begging him to move, to show her just how much he needed her.  
  
They stayed there, barely moving for a time, lost in our own world and continuing to reconnect with each other. Slowly, a glow started to build around Kaidan. He was releasing enough power to create a barrier around himself, pushing her away a bit but increasing pressure where it was most important.

"I had to wait until I was sure I could control myself," he murmured. The barrier ebbed and flowed, her skin tingling every place they touched. Reese leaned back against the wall and let the feeling wash over her, watching the aura reflected on the dripping walls, lighting the heavy steam in the room.  
  
Kaidan began to move gently. Reese didn't dare do the same, afraid to break their intimate mood or do something that would make him lose focus. She knew how exactly powerful he was, both physically and biotically, and that he'd never intentionally hurt her. But she also understood that he had been holding his emotions in check since the fight for the Normandy, that he'd been remembering and thinking about what could have gone wrong.

She wasn't sure it would take much more to trigger a release, despite his best efforts but she resisted the urge to flare her own biotics and match his. The control he was exerting, keeping his power so tightly reined, was much more impressive than simply not releasing it at all. She knew that he would have to shut it down completely fairly soon, but she intended to enjoy every electric moment while she could. When he kissed her, his tongue in her mouth, she could feel him everywhere and nearly lost control herself.

 _I can’t believe I was worried the first time we did this_ she thought as Kaidan filled her again and again.  
  
Finally, she couldn't bear the restraint any more. "Please," Reese whispered, pushing herself against him.

With a groan, he dropped the barrier entirely, tamping down his power so that he could respond without endangering her. He lunged, deep and hard, and she dug her nails into his back. They abandoned all caution then, no longer able to hold back their desire. Soon they were making enough noise that Reese feared they could be heard throughout the entire ward, but she wasn't about to worry about that in the midst of that incredible moment. Kaidan held her hips and drove them against the wall as she clung to him, her teeth nipping at the delicate skin near the hairline that she knew drove him wild. It seemed to go on forever, building until she thought she might implode. Reese was pretty sure she screamed at some point during that wild ride and she knew that Kaidan shouted her name amidst all of their mutual encouragement, begging each other for more.  
  
Finally he crushed her against that wall again and giving in to the release he'd been holding back for so long.

"I love you," she murmured into his ear.

"I love you," he answered as he gently helped her to get her balance, her feet on firm ground once more.

They remained against the shower wall for several long minutes, letting the water stream rinse the shampoo and soap from their bodies. Kaidan continued to nip at her neck and shoulders, but felt tiredness start to overtake him. Reese ran her fingers through his wet hair, as she felt his hands tighten around her hips.

He whispered just loud enough to be heard over the water, “I just worry about you sometimes. I always have…I don’t mean to be hard on you.”

“Once you said you were hard on me because you didn’t want me to waste my talents and abilities,” she said remembering one of their first meaningful conversations on the SR1.

“Hmmm,” Kaidan said as he looked down at her with a soul piercing gaze. “And now I’m hard on you because I don’t want to lose you ever again.”


	19. Chapter 19

**_Sunday, December 17, 2186, Kaidan’s Apartment, Citadel, Widow System, Serpent Nebula_ **

“What are you thinking about?” Kaidan asked as he made breakfast the next morning. He had insisted on trying to do ‘normal’ things while they were on shore leave. Cooking apparently was normal for him.

Despite his best efforts and the wonderful night they had after dealing with Shepard’s clone, the Ops Officer seemed restless. In fact she seemed restless and distant to the Specter. She had been fine, playful even when they had first woke up. Her mood had changed after checking her messages…

Reese glanced at him and then quickly turned back to the window. Stubbornly refusing to answer him, she played with the flatware on the counter in front of her. Alenko sighed. _And she says I’m stubborn._

“Okay, I know something is on your mind, but this is supposed to be time for _us_. Nothing else. So tell me already so we can deal with it and get back to just us,” he stated as he flipped the pancakes.

He looked at her expectantly as she remained silent. “ _KOOORRRIIII_!!!!”

“Okay! Fine!” she said knowing the next thing was his puppy dog eyes and she could never resist that look.

Reese finally turned her gaze back to the man cooking her breakfast. She still didn’t really know how to approach the subject. So she though being blunt was the best way. Exhaling slowly, the Lt. Cmdr. began, “I got a message this morning from Ad. Hackett. It was about the N7 program or rather the lack of one now…Apparently there’s groups of interspecies soldiers, mercs, techs, whatever forming and taking on missions to retake or defend different areas. Hackett is letting them call themselves unofficially N7 Special Forces or something. Says it’s good for moral all across the board.”

Kaidan nodded as he placed the pancakes on two plates. “Okay. Where do _you_ come in to all this?”

“I, um, well, since there’s no school to go to as it were, Hackett still wants to continue the training…and recruiting. Like Vega…He’s officially accepted the invite but there’s nowhere to train. So Hackett’s making some temporary changes—new recruits and ones still working their way up to N7 are going to be paired with an N7 as soon as possible…” she explained as Alenko cut his pancakes.

“I can see that. Shepard will be mentoring Vega as it were and you too I guess,” he said in a tone that let her know he didn’t really know why she was so bothered by the message.

Reese poked at her food and said softly, “Not exactly. They really want one trainee per N7, especially in Shepard’s case…and Vega is it.”

He frowned. “So who’s mentoring you? I can’t. I’m just a plain ol’ Specter, not an N7 badass turned Specter.”

“No, you’re an L2 badass turned Specter,” she replied with a grin.

“Kori! Who is—“ the sentinel trailed off as his whiskey colored eyes showed alarm. “They aren’t reassigning you are they?”

She hesitated one moment too long as Kaidan dropped his fork. “They _can’t_ do that. Hackett knows you are too integral to the Normandy. No one knows the Reaper tech and code like you. The Normandy needs you. _I_ need you!”

All she could do was smile warmly at him. She reached across the counter and squeezed his hand tightly. “Not even the Reapers could take me from you.”

“But—”

“Hackett reviewed the records of several N5 and N6 officers on a case by case basis and decided that some had already received advanced training due to their frontline status…I’m such a case, especially having served under Shepard _twice_ , having Anderson’s recommendation, and having what they are calling advanced biotics training from a certain Major in charge of the First Spec Ops Biotics Company,” she clarified.

He studied her carefully. “You haven’t accepted have you?”

She shook her head no. Kaidan watched as she played with her food again. Finally he asked, “Why haven’t you?”

Reese quickly locked eyes with him, her grey ones showing confusion. “I don’t understand…Why should I? You…You always said don’t take short cuts…”

“Kori, sweetheart, this isn’t a short cut or cheating. You’ve _earned_ this, especially with all the missions and training and responsibilities you’ve taken on,” he replied moving his hand to intertwine their fingers. “Besides how is it any different than me becoming a Specter? You supported me, and I’ll support you whatever you ultimately decide, but I think you should do it.”

“Really?”

“Really.”

Reese thought for a moment and then said, “Who’d have thought someone who was almost kicked off the Normandy for a past of insubordination would be an N7?”

“Isn’t that what the ‘N’ stands for?”

“Insubordination starts with an ‘I’ smart ass.”

Kaidan just grinned. “Eat your pancakes.”

“Yes, sir.”

^^^^^

**_2183, SSV Normandy SR1_ **

_“Lt. Reese? Do you have a minute?” Cmdr. Shepard asked as he appeared behind the ops station in the cock pit._

_The Lt. JG looked up from her controls and nodded. “Yes, sir. I was just completing a diagnostic. It can do without me for a little while.”_

_As she rose to her feet, Lt. Alenko looked over from his station across the cockpit by Joker. “I can monitor it while you’re gone, Lt.”_

_She nodded. “Thank you, Lt.”_

_He gave her the smallest of smiles and returned to his controls. Reese walked down the long corridor to the CIC and then around the elevator. She frowned when the N7 led her to the Comm room. Her CO’s usually did this when they were about to chew her out for something. But she couldn’t remember anything she had done recently…just stuff Lt. Alenko had gotten onto her about. Mostly about asking for help when she actually needed it._

_The Normandy’s captain stood in the middle of the room and looked at her. He stared at her, studying her for several long moments. It unnerved Reese. She had expected yelling, a lecture, something,_ anything _, not silence. Despite her best efforts, the tech began to fidget under his intense gaze._

_Finally he asked, “Why exactly are you on my ship, Lt.?”_

_She looked at him in confusion. “I don’t understand, sir—"_

_“It’s a simple question. You’re smart. You’re IQ scores are off the charts, but it shouldn’t take a lot of technobabble to answer the question._ Why _are you here?”_

_She blinked. “I was offered the assignment and I accepted—“_

_“Every CO you’ve ever had recommended against your posting here,” he told her flatly._

_It took her completely by surprise that no one had approved of her assignment to the Normandy. “Permission to speak freely, sir?”_

_“You’ve had it since we walked in the room, Lt.”_

_“How did I get assigned to the Normandy if I was—“_

_“_ **Anderson** _.”_

_“Sir?”_

_“He knew that he’d need the best on this ship. You’re one of the best techs the Alliance has to offer, and you helped with the development of the Normandy’s systems but you’re_ not _a good soldier.”_

_She remained quiet, taking in what he had just told her. When she said nothing to dispute his assertion, Shepard clarified, “I need you to be both. There’s no in-between on this ship.”_

_“You have the right to reassign me, sir. It’s your ship now,” she replied wanting with every fiber of her being to yell._

_“I do and it is…however two people have advised me against that…_ strongly _,” he said crossing his arms. “Anderson believes you are more of an asset than a hindrance. He seems to think for now your talent for understanding VI’s could prove useful against the Geth. But he had originally intended for you to undergo more combat training…then Eden Prime happened.”_

_She knew she continued to state at him dumbfounded. Anderson had wanted her to have more combat training? After what happened on her first tour of duty? She disobeyed orders, been demoted, and her CO court martialed for involvement with Cerberus. Anderson still believed in her that much…_

_“I don’t have the time or the inclination to babysit a techie who doesn’t know why or_ remember _why she joined the Alliance…” Shepard continued to stare at her expectantly._

_“Then I’ll request reassign—"_

_“The second person, who suggested strongly…_ very _strongly, was Lt. Alenko. He believes you have ‘untapped potential’ to quote him. And of course he used logic to convince me to give you a chance to prove me wrong—"_

_“Wrong?” She was in pure shock. Alenko had stood up for her; he believed she could do better. They barely knew one another really. But Shepard didn’t lie._

_“Prove that you are supposed to be here, on this ship, on my team.”_

_~~~~~_

_Reese tossed and turned in the bottom bunk, thankful her bunkmate was assigned to the night shift. She hadn’t slept at all and it was well past midnight. Was Shepard right? Did she really belong on the Normandy? More importantly, had she lost sight of why she had joined the Alliance? And why had Alenko stood up for her? Anderson she understood…to a point. He had been one of the marines who had responded to the destruction of her colony nearly 10 years ago…_

_The tech glanced over at a sleeping Alenko who was bunked across from her. He had his arm draped over his eyes as if he had a migraine again. How he functioned daily like he did, she wasn’t sure. She had her own issues…Reese sighed and looked up at the bottom of the top bunk. Then she growled and threw the pillow over her face._

_She was smart but apparently not_ that _smart. How had she lost sight of the goals and promises she had made in the academy?_

_Suddenly she remembered the smile Alenko had given her when Shepard requested to talk to her. The memory brought a smile to her own face, but she quickly disciplined herself_. He was a superior officer, albeit a cute, no—handsome one…but no…no…no…no Kicked off the ship remember?

_She growled into the pillow again and hugged it tightly. What was she thinking?_

_“If you are going to smother yourself, do you think you can do it a little more quietly?” a soft male voice said._

_Reese frowned then peeked out from underneath the pillow. She was greeted by the sight of Kaidan Alenko looking at her. He was facing her, his head propped up on his hand. Suddenly very self-conscious, she mumbled, “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to wake you or anyone else, especially if you have a migraine.”_

_“I don’t,” he said simply with a shrug._

_“That’s good.”_

_They laid in their respective bunks in silence for several long minutes. Finally Alenko said, “You really do look ridiculous with that pillow still over your head.”_

_She looked at him in surprise, not used to teasing or joking from the serious L2. She slowly removed it and admitted, “I suppose I do.”_

_He grinned at her, his whiskey colored eyes showing humor. “Want to go get something to eat?”_

_“It’s like 0230…”_

_“And we’re both awake…and you’re wasting energy worrying.”_

_She frowned and then said, “Fine.”_

_`````_

_“Ice cream?” the Lt. offered Reese as they raided the mess’s freezer._

_“Umm, sure?” she replied still not sure why she had agreed to this. Alenko didn’t socialize with anybody outside his duties except to Shepard and the ground team. He had to have an ulterior motive for this._

_As he handed her an individual serving of chocolate ice cream, she blurted out, “You know what the Commander talked to me about don’t you?”_

_He answered un-phased by her outburst. “Yes, I do actually.”_

_Alenko opened his own ice cream and headed for the table. He sat down and looked at her. “Are you going to stand there and let it melt or come over here and eat it?”_

_She involuntarily scowled at him as he pulled out a chair for her. Slowly she moved to sit by him. He ate his ice cream without glancing her way._

_Reese frowned. He was good…really good at being annoying and nice at the same time. She shook her head an took a bite. For military food, it was actually good. She ate a couple more bites and then he said, “You haven’t been eating the correct amount of calories for a biotic.”_

_“Checking up on me?”_

_“Not exactly…Chakwas mentioned it. I think she wanted me to talk to you about it. It seems you have a higher than normal ration card than most L3s. It’s almost as much as mine.”_

_She looked at the table. She really hated discussing her biotics—how it happened, her special condition because of them, and why she didn’t use them much. And she certainly wasn’t going to discuss it with some random L2 tech marine. No matter how nice or knowledgeable or handsome he was._

_She stood up abruptly, causing Alenko to look up at her. “I don’t need another lecture or whatever—"_

_“Hey,” the L2 said defensively. “I’m not here to lecture. I just figured you might want an outside perspective, but I won’t force the issue.”_

_She paused and said, “What_ do _you want?”_

_“To give you options…My experience with biotics and the military isn’t like yours…I get that. But it would have been nice to have someone able to give me options…”_

_He looked down at his bowl. “That’s all. I didn’t mean to—"_

_She sat down. “Why did you tell Shepard to let me stay?”_

_“I didn’t,” Alenko clarified. “I gave him my professional opinion and said it would be foolish to waste a resource with untapped potential.”_

_She exhaled sharply causing him to look at her. “I’m a resource, lovely.”_

_“You’re an_ insubordinate _resource, Lt.” he clarified as he took another bite._

_“Are you trying to joke?”_

_“_ Trying _being the operative word,” he said glancing sideways at her. “You always seem so angry…or on the verge of losing your temper.”_

_She was silent. He was trying to help her, not judge her. “I’m…I have issues I guess…I’m not used to someone actually trying to help…”_

_Gingerly, he asked, “You’ve been on your own for a while?”_

_“More or less.”_

_He nodded and said, “If I ever seem hard on you, it’s because I don’t want you to waste the talents and abilities you have…”_

_He cut her off before she could say anything. “_ And _I don’t just mean your biotics. Those should never define who you are…You’re IQ and aptitude scores are up there, Reese. Way up there.”_

_He paused as he took another bite of his ice cream. “You’re a gifted tech but you could be a huge asset on the ground too.”_

_“I don’t do biotics—"_

_“Damn it, Reese! Just because I’m an L2 doesn’t mean everything is about biotics. I happen to be a damn good tech too!” he said loudly._

_Reese had never heard him like that in the month she’d been on the Normandy. She blinked away her surprise and looked at him, He was so intense, his stare, his eyes. That was where his real emotion lay. Always a calm demeanor, but his eyes always told the truth of what he actually felt._

_“Lt. Alenko, I’m sorry…I have personal issues that I have allowed to cloud my professional duties…”_

_“Then deal with them, bury them, confront them…_ Overcome _them,” he said calm once again. “Then remember why you joined the Alliance. You want to serve. I get that. But I think you want to protect too…You have personal reasons from that which I won’t ask about.”_

_“Then what are the options you were saying you had?” she asked._

_“Do you really want to know?”_

_“Yes.”_

_He exhaled. “First off, do what you’re doc says. You have a higher ration card for a reason. Use it. And with that, don’t fight your biotics. Learn to control them so they don’t control you. And lastly, I guess, let people help you. You can learn everything you need to right here on the Normandy. This is the best crew I’ve served with. Use them as a resource to make yourself stronger. Don’t settle for what you are now, especially if Anderson is rallying for you._

_She looked at the table again and thought about what he had said. Had she really fallen so far from who she had been ten years ago? “He’s the reason I joined the Alliance…or one of them at least.”_

_Alenko tilted his head toward her but said nothing. Finally she looked at him. Her grey eyes sad and haunted. “I met him over 10 years ago when I got my second exposure to eezo…The marines responding to the accident…most of them were scared of us kids. They thought all these teenagers were going to turn into crazy biotics right then and there I guess. They treated us like diseased corpses or something from the Dark Ages…until Anderson stopped them. He was kind and didn’t judge…just helped. He kept in contact for a while too.”_

_She turned away, glancing at the medbay door. “Anyway, I guess I didn’t really believe he had kept tabs on me from afar—"_

_“But he did,” the Lt. said with a gentle smile. “So prove Anderson right and Shepard wrong.”_

_Reese looked at him and felt a grin spread slowly across her face. “I think I just might.”_

_“Good. Now finish your ice cream before someone finds out we were the ones who raided the freezer,” Kaidan said returning her smile with a bigger one._


	20. Chapter 20

**_Monday, December 18, 2186, Armax Arsenal Arena, Silversun Strip, Citadel_ **

“Okay, Vega put you up to this didn’t he?” Reese asked as she put on the rest of her armor. The locker room was empty except for them. They were still waiting for the Lt. to join them.

“Nooo,” Kaidan replied, avoiding her stare.

She rolled her eyes. “Holy shit! He _did_ put you up to this! _KAIDAN_!”

“Hey! The guy can be pretty persuasive when he wants to be,” the biotic said defensively, recoiling from her in case she decided to whack him with something.

Reese growled. Participating in any event in the Armax Arena had not been on her list of things to do with Kaidan on shore leave. Yet here they were.

“Kaidan Alenko, what could he—"

“Hey, Mako! Take it easy on the Major. I just thought this would be a way to celebrate you making N7,” Vega called as he entered the locker room already in full gear.

“Yeah, take it easy on the Major…” Kaidan echoed with a grin.

Reese narrowed her eyes. “I only told Hackett yesterday afternoon. But you _already_ knew.”

She turned back to Kaidan with an evil eye. Before the sentinel could say anything, Vega explained, “It was Shepard. He explained to me what was going on and I figured this would be a good test.”

“Test?”

“Well not a test. You and Shepard have different styles…This simulator lets us go up against baddies I haven’t fought with you two. Plus you’re both biotics and Grease is a Specter…” the Lt. explained with a shrug.

“Kori doesn’t use biotics as her primary weapon…” Kaidan observed, checking his weapon again.

“I use tech and weapons, especially things that involve fire,” she added. Alenko looked at her. She shrugged. “You’re in love with a pyro. Deal with it.”

As he shook his head, Vega said, “That just proves my point. Shepard uses force and weapons. Grease uses biotics and weapons then tech. Mako uses tech and weapons then biotics in a support role. It’s all different.”

Kaidan looked at the other man for a moment and then smiled. “You know, Vega, you’re actually smarter than you look.”

Reese sighed in annoyance as she looked her weapons over. “And you, Major Alenko, I love you but can be as slow as a M29 Grizzly.”

He looked at her as if wounded as Vega grinned. She clarified, “He’s using the fact I made N7 to get two biotics—you and me—to help him go up against Shepard’s score. He had Tali and Garrus yesterday.”

“Is that true, Lt.?”

“Ummm, yes sir,” Vega replied almost meekly.

“Great,” Alenko mumbled as Reese laughed.

“Come on. It can’t be that bad,” she said putting a hand on his head.

He looked up at her and smiled weakly. She smiled back and the showed a gloved hand to Vega. “See? No grease. All natural.”

With that she ran out of the locker room with Alenko hot on her tail. “ _KORI_!!!”

Vega laughed and said, “This should be fun.”  
  


~~~~~

An hour later Vega had completed his research and decided biotics were a good thing on the battlefield. And so was tech. But only if used by the right people. And if there was one thing Shepard knew how to do, it was choose the right people. But the round fought with Alenko and Reese had gotten him wondering about biotics versus brute strength—hand to hand—a fist fight. He’d investigate that one later.

“You know he’s not going to let that stand,” Reese commented as they exited the locker room still in their armor. They were too tired to change and wearing it just seemed easier.

“Yeah, well he can do whatever he wants. The rest of shore leave… _no_ guns,” Kaidan declared.

“Agreed,” she said as he slung an arm over her shoulder. “I can think of better things to do anyway.”

“I bet you can, Mako,” Vega commented from behind them. In a lower tone, he added, “It’s always the quiet ones you have to watch out for.”

Kaidan just shrugged as Reese replied, “At least he’s good at what he does.”

“Ho, whoa, Mako. TMI,” Vega commented. Then he stopped as he realized what was on their armor. “You two just going to saunter down the strip with Specter and N7 advertised on your armor?”

“Don’t worry, Muscles. We’ll protect you if unruly tourists attack,” Reese called as Kaidan chuckled beside her.

“That’s not---aww, hell, forget it,” he resigned as he followed the two biotics out of the arena into the crowd of people. Glad shore leave was finally on.

*****

**_Tuesday, December 19, 2186, Kaidan’s Apartment, Citadel_ **

“Kori?” a quiet voice said from across the living area.

The Lt. Cmdr. looked up from her omni-tool she was modding yet again. She saw Kaidan staring at a picture of them from three years ago. It had been during their shore leave at his cabin outside Vancouver. Over the past couple of days, they had added a few things like pictures to make the Council provided apartment feel more like home—or home away from home. For now their real home was on the Normandy.

Reese frowned when she saw the uncertain look on his face. He was thinking again. That was the problem with shore leave—too much time to think about things you shouldn’t. And Kaidan Alenko was very good at that. She shut down her tool and asked, “What are you thinking about, Kaidan?”

He hesitated and then replied, “What could have been…I guess.”

Reese rose to her feet and slowly made her way towards him. She watched as he fingered another picture, a more recent one. It had been taken in the mess hall by EDI who had insisted having tangible proof of one’s memories was important to humans. Reese couldn’t agree with her more, but something was eating at the Major. And memories were the cause.

As she came to stand behind him, he glanced back at her. “What if the Normandy hadn’t gone down? What if Joker had at least left his station like he should have?”

Alenko closed his eyes and turned away. “What if _I_ hadn’t walked away from you?”

“Kaidan, you can’t think like that. We’re here _now_ —together,” she said.

“I know. I just…sometimes I still wonder if we would have been together _all_ that time—" he explained as he opened his eyes.

She thought for a moment. He had never asked for specifics but maybe he needed to hear some of it. “Do you want to know how I met Michael?”

He turned to her. His whiskey colored eyes said he did, but his pride or respect for her wouldn’t let him. “Kori, you don’t have to—"

“Maybe I want to. I know you wonder how I could get involved with someone so… _different_ from you,” she said as she held his hand.

“I…He and I weren’t friends in Brain Camp. We were posted together later…He joined the Alliance before I did and wasn’t happy I had made Lt. JG the same time he did—in _less_ time. We worked it out…later,” Kaidan explained almost reluctantly.

Reese nodded. “He told me something like that.”

The Major glanced at her. “He still thought I was too sensitive for military life.”

She grinned. “He might have said that too.”

“Kori, you were…if he had made it back you would have been with him instead—" He stopped himself. He didn’t want to fight, but the thought of her with anyone else always made him loose control.

“Yes, I would have. But that’s not what happened. Despite everything that happened, I found my way back to _you_. We are here, now, _together_ ,” she said holding his hand to her cheek. “And I think about what might have been with us sometimes too…And if you had ever come back for me, I would have been waiting.”

^^^^^

**_2184, Alliance Shuttle, Dholen system, Far Rim_ **

_“So you’re the all-important techie I’m supposed to risk my ass to save?” Lt. Cmdr. Michael Westmore said as he hauled her aboard the shuttle._

_“Lt. Reese. And yes. But our collective asses are still intact, Lt. Cmdr. So I think you’re ahead of the game,” the newly promoted full Lt. replied._

_“Has anyone ever told you you’re a pain in the ass?” the Spec Ops marine asked._

_“Yes. Most of my CO’s and my friends,” she replied as she removed her helmet and sat down. Rummaging through her pack, she realized she was totally out of MREs. “Don’t suppose you have any extra ration bars?”_

_He cocked his head. “Yeah. Why?”_

_“I’m out and I burned way too many calories out there the past three days,” she explained as he tossed some to her._

_“Calories? Are you a biotic?” he asked sitting across from her._

_“Yep,” she replied downing some water. Apparently he hadn’t read her file. She quickly glanced at him. “Please excuse the next few minutes while I do un-lady like things and wolf these down.”_

_Westmore nodded and seemed to turn his attention to his weapon. As he checked his guns, he observed, “You carry more weaponry than most techs I’ve ‘_ rescued _.’”_

_“This was an emergency extraction not a rescue. And yes I do,” she said as she drank some juice._

_“You’ve had Spec Ops training?”_

_“Yes. A little and some on the job training as it were…”_

_“Really? That’s not usually—"_

_“My previous assignment was the SSV Normandy,” she explained staring at him. She frowned realizing he had been staring at her through his helmet’s visor for most of their conversation. “Are you going to keep that thing on?”_

_“Maybe,” he said as she finished her ration bar._

_“Why?” she asked still not knowing the name of her ‘rescuer’ let alone what he looked like._

_“Because I think you’d try to kick my ass if you knew I was checking you out,” he admitted with a hint of cockiness coming through the voice filter._

_She glared at him. “Isn’t that somewhat inappropriate, Lt. Commander?”_

_“Probably, but call me Westmore,” he said stowing his weapons._

_“Umm, okay,” she said suddenly very unsure how she had gone from collecting leads on the Geth/Reaper tech to being hit on by a superior officer she had met five minutes before._

_“Actually, you should call me Mike,” he said removing his helmet finally. It revealed a red head man with piercing blue eyes. For a red head, Reese had to admit he had a nice tan._

_“Why?” she finally asked. “You are awfully sure I’ll be around after this to call you Mike.”_

_“Because if you go out with me, calling me Lt. Cmdr. or Westmore will be awkward.”_

_“Why should I? Right now I think you are a smug ass.”_

_“Because I’m asking nicely and because you could use a good time,” he said confidently._

_She studied him. “Hypothetically if I said yes, it would have to be after my debriefing. But you’ll have to prove that you are more than a smug ass if I were to hypothetically agree to a second time.”_

_“Can do,” Westmore replied as he eyed her. “So hypothetically, what do I call you?”_

_“Reese.”_

_“Reese? That’s it. Your_ last _name?”_

_“Take it or leave it. I’m not easy to get to know. And hypnotically you should get used to that.”_

_Westmore leaned forward and grinned. “That’s fine. Hypothetically, I like a challenge.”_

_^^^^^_

Kaidan looked out the large window in the living area overlooking the Presidium waterways. He was leaning against it with his forehead and elbow pressed to the glass. He was deep in thought, taking in everything Reese had just told him about her and Michael. He was angry, sad, frustrated, and hurt. But he knew he shouldn’t be. He was the one who had shut her out. It wasn’t fair for her to see him like he was when she had done nothing wrong—

Reese sat on the overstuffed couch watching him in silence, waiting for his reaction. Silence on something like this with him was never good. She remained quiet herself anyway.

“Kori,” Alenko called without looking at her. “I think I’m going to…ah, take Shepard up on that diner and beer offer.”

Her eyes went wide. Was that his reaction? He turned to her with a slight smile. “Yeah, I think I’ll do that. Maybe you could go out with Traynor and EDI…shopping…or whatever they had planned.”

“I already told them I had plans—"

“ _No_ , Kori,” the Major said firmly as he stood in front of her. “You need to go out for a while…I need to get out for just a little bit.”

She looked up at him, feeling helpless. This hadn’t been what she thought would happen. He wanted to leave…

Reese grabbed his hand tightly. “Kaidan, please? Please don’t leave—"

He bent down quickly and gave her a fierce kiss. “Never…Never ever again, Kora.”

Kaidan pulled away. “I promise I’m coming back…I just need a little time to process everything.”

“Okay,” she said quietly as he walked out of the apartment. Reese sat alone wondering if her hatred for shopping would really distract her from her growing fear she had just lost Kaidan…again.

*****

**_Tuesday, December 19, 2186, Shepard’s Apartment, Silversun Strip, Citadel_ **

Alenko walked into the posh apartment Shepard had been given and decided pretending nothing was bothering him was the way to go. But knowing his luck, the Savior of the Citadel and all-around Reaper ass kicking Commander would know something was up anyway. Shaking it off, the Major put on his best ‘nothing was wrong face’ and walked around the corner to the kitchen.

“Hey, Shepard! I’m starving. What’d you got?” Kaidan declared in a cheerful tone.

The N7 shrugged and gestured toward the door. “We’re heading out, Kaidan.”

Not wanting to chance running into Kori, Kaidan walked passed Shepard. “I’m so sick of Apollo’s. I’m gonna cook.”

“Oh, no. Really?” the Commander groaned as he tracked the Major’s movements. He knew his friend had a domestic side, but he had never been on the receiving end of it. He had figured they would go out and drink beer and shoot the breeze. Not try fine dining with Kaidan Alenko.

The second human Specter turned toward his former CO and laughed. “Come on.”

Shepard crossed his arms. “You want me to sit there and watch you cook?”

Chuckling at his friend’s reaction to his proposition, Kaidan replied, “You’re not watching me cook. You’re helping me drink beer.”

He turned away and waved at the stool. “Now sit your ass down.”

Alenko rounded the island in the middle of the kitchen and began looking for ingredients and things to cook as Shepard resigned himself to diner prepared by the biotic Major. As he did, the N7 couldn’t shake the feeling that his friend’s sudden change of mind to accept his invite as odd. Usually Kaidan didn’t change his mind at the last minute especially if his plans concerned Reese. Then he remembered that before Liara had departed to go shopping, she’d mentioned something about the LC joining them at the last minute. And he knew his Ops Officer hated shopping. Hell, the whole CIC knew it after Traynor had attempted to ask for her opinion on clothes shops on the Citadel when the Specialist had learned she’d been there before. Either way, the topic was banned from the CIC after that.

Shepard complied with the Major’s ‘request’ as the other man clinked glassware and pans together. Deciding to joke about his cooking to set Alenko at ease, he asked, “What are we having? Canadian delicacy of some sort?”

Kaidan thought about the answer and realized he had no idea what he was going to cook. So taking a cue from the girlfriend he was trying hard not to think about, he improvised. He said, “Ah, sure. Exactly…We have beef. We have bacon. We have beer.”

The biotic stood up and handed Shepard a bottle as he opened his own. Clinking the two together he declared, “The foods of my people…Wish me luck.”

They each took a swig of their beers after which Kaidan started cutting up the ingredients. Shepard looked at him blankly and then said, “If you need luck to cook us dinner, then we’re screwed.”

Kaidan threw up his arms as if wounded. “Screwed? You hurt me, Shepard.”

The N7 took another drink of beer as his friend continued his experiment in cooking. “Relax. It’s gonna be great.”

“Guess we’ll find out,” Shepard commented earning a glare from the biotic.

When the Major didn’t say anything Shepard decided to push a little more. “So remember how I saved the Citadel? And then—you weren’t there—I survived a suicide mission? All those close calls I’ve had, only to be taken out by dinner.”

Shepard watched as the other man only shook his head and refocused his attention back on the meat he was cooking in a frying pan. Unsatisfied with the lack of reaction from the always cool and calm sentinel, the Commander turned fully to him. It seemed as if he were trying just a little too hard not to react, especially given what Liara had told him. “Can it at least be quick and painless?”

Finally annoyance seeped into the Major’s voice as he replied, “Ha. Funny. You think I hauled your butt out of the fire all those times just to poison you here, now?”

Shepard threw up his hands. “I just took down my clone. I gotta figure anything’s possible.”

Kaidan only replied with a “ _huh_ ” as he showed the pan to Shepard. He looked it over, beer still in hand and asked, “Do we have hot sauce?”

The Major rolled his eyes and said, “It’s _your_ kitchen. Do you?”

“I’ve been here for less than a week, attacked by my clone, almost had my ship stolen, have my smartass flight LT. begging for a party, and the second human Specter showing his domestic side to his CO rather than his girl. So no, I don’t know if we have hot sauce,” the Commander replied as he gulped down the rest of the beer.

“Okay, okay. I’ll look. I’ll look,” Alenko surrendered throwing up his hands as he started rummaging around the cabinets again.

Shepard took the opportunity to text Liara what was going on and asked that she come back at a certain time later. Whatever was going on, the N7 was sure Kaidan was using this dinner thing to avoid it. Some things never changed…

“Okay, found it,” Alenko replied triumphantly as he stood up. He looked at the Commander’s open omni-tool. “Problem?”

“No, nothing I can’t handle with a simple text,” he replied as he shut the tool down. He turned back to the dinner he was expected to eat. “Let’s see how quickly I succumb to your cooking.”

“Gee, thanks for your vote of confidence,” the Major said as he prepared their plates.

Shepard smiled. “You’re welcome.”

`````

A couple of hours later, the two marines had eaten everything Kaidan had fixed and drunk several beers. The two men stood by the huge window overlooking the Silversun Strip, the neon lights changing and casting moving shadows over them. Shepard had still not been able to get anything out of the sentinel. The other man had carefully avoided or changed the subject when it had come anywhere close to Reese. His damn diplomatic skills at work.

As they looked out the window, Kaidan commented, breaking the silence, “That was great.”

“Still waiting for the botulism to kick in,” Shepard said continuing to gaze out the window, arms crossed over his chest.

Kaidan turned to glare at his friend. “Hey, I thought it was pretty good.”  
  


The N7 glanced at him and admitted, “Actually it was pretty good. I’m impressed.”

“Thank you. I’m an enigma. I have skills,” Alenko replied, slightly awkwardly. He normally didn’t brag on any level about his abilities.

Shepard turned back to the Major as he looked out the window. What the hell was going on? Kaidan never fished for a compliment let alone brag. He listened as Alenko went on. “Fistfight. Me and James. I’d win, right?”

Shepard turned away attempting not to laugh. In a straight up fight, a street fight—Vega would win. Throw in marital arts, Kaidan would. But usually Kaidan only used his martial arts in biotic exercises. He had taught Reese some on the SR1 but…

Kaidan crossed his arms when he didn’t reply. “What if I fought dirty?”

“You fight dirty? That’ll be the day,” Shepard snorted as he looked the other man in the eye.

“Hey! I can do what needs to be done to get the complete the mission,” he said defensively.

“Beating Vega in a fist fight _isn’t_ a mission, Major. It’s you _defending_ your territory when he flirts with your girl,” Shepard said bluntly wondering if that would get his attention.

Kaidan narrowed his eyes as he crossed his arms. Shepard had known the L2 long enough to know when he had stuck a sensitive spot. And he just hit it. He grinned slightly as he admitted, “I’m messing with you, K. Can I call you K?”

“No,” Alenko said flatly.

“I didn’t think so. See? Sensitive,” the Commander commented as he watched the other marine closely. He was still annoyed but not angry.

Kaidan tilted his head in his friend’s direction. “Or…maybe you’re being an ass.”

“Major, did you just call your CO an ass?” Shepard asked, mildly surprised by the comment.

“No,” Kaidan replied his voice going high pitch momentarily. “I called my friend an ass…Talk about sensitive.”

They laughed and stood in silence for a few long moments. Shepard finally asked, “Then as your friend, what the hell is going on with you and Reese? You had everything worked out. _Now_ you suddenly give up a night with her to have dinner with me when she hates shopping. That’s _not_ like you, Kaidan. You’ve avoided mentioning her all evening. Usually you talk about her newest pet project or wishing she’d let you in on whatever new tech toy she has…”

Alenko glanced at him and then back at the window. “Everything is worked out as much as it can be with a war going on…We just needed space.”

“On shore leave? You were practically panicking when you didn’t know where she was the other day while we were chasing my clone. Now you want to get away from her?” the N7 observed. “I saw what it did to her after you were injured on Mars. I see what it does to each of you whenever either of you are injured on a mission. That kind of bond, connection, whatever isn’t something you run from. You run _to_ it. You do everything you can to get to it, to _keep_ it.”

Alenko exhaled slowly and ran a hand through his dark hair. “Look, Shepard, she told me about the time we weren’t together…I don’t want to go into it, but it’s complicated.”

Shepard rolled his eyes. Once again, the Major was over thinking things. “Fine, Kaidan. She told you about Westmore. Whatever. It’s in the past. Regardless, you are with her now and I don’t see that woman letting you go again.”

“It’s complicated,” he repeated weakly, realizing his friend had called him on his bullshit.

“It’s only as complicated as you make it, Alenko. _You_ of all people should know that,” Shepard replied as Kaidan wondered how his friend and CO had become a matchmaker amongst everything else he seemed to be.


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> @@@smut in the section where Kaidan returns to his apartment after Kori goes shopping@@@

**_Tuesday, December 19, 2186, Presidium Commons, Citadel_ **

“What drug did you inject me with to get me to agree to this?” Reese asked Tali. The two walked down to one of the market areas where the others waited for them.

“I didn’t. I believe you called me at the last minute saying you needed a distraction,” the Quarian said as they passed all the stores she usually ignored.

Reese exhaled and said, “I’m tempted to have EDI scan me for brain damage. I seem to be making…mistakes.”

Tali cocked her helmet towards her friend. “Is everything okay between you and Kaidan?”

The Lt. Cmdr. shrugged her shoulders. “I thought so until I told him about Michael…”

“Oh, Kee’lah, Reese,” the young Quarian said as she grabbed her friend’s arm. “He will understand…He is just thickheaded is the correct word I think.”

“All the more reason to go shopping,” a lightly accented voice called from behind them.

“Kasumi!” Tali said slightly annoyed.

Goto shimmered to life with a grin. “The one and only.”

Reese sighed. She wanted nothing more than to chase after Kaidan and make him see nothing had changed. But that stood the risk of pushing him farther away.

“Oh, come now, Lt. Cmdr. You have a smart, sexy biotic at your beck and call. He’s a man. They are all entitled to be stupid every once in a while,” the thief commented in an encouraging tone.

“Are you always this ‘helpful’?” Reese asked as Tali nodded.

“I am the one who let Shepard give you my nice cloak,” the Japanese master thief said as she fell in step with them.

“You want the mods I made to it, don’t you?” Reese asked.

“Of course, but we can take about tech later. Right now we’re here to have fun,” she replied as they approached their group.

Traynor waved them over as EDI said, “It is good that you decided to join us. I believe our experience will be enhanced by more diversity.”

“EDI, it’s shopping not an experiment,” Traynor said as Liara eyed Reese.

“Perhaps, we are not just shopping for clothes. There are some tech stores in this district too,” the Asari offered.

“Where’s the fun in that?” the Specialist asked.

“Do you what you want. I’m just here,” the Lt. Cmdr. commented.

“We’ll have to change that,” Goto said full of mischief.

Reese inwardly cringed as Liara said, softly, “Shepard texted me that Kaidan decided to come over anyway…He is cooking and drinking beer.”

The tech sighed again. Sometimes living on a ship was just as bad living in a small colony… “Yeah, we… _he_ needed space.”

“Reese, he is a highly sensitive and stubborn man. You _will_ get through this,” the Shadow Broker said.

She nodded. “I hope so.”

“You know we won’t let you two split up again…now that we know _officially_ this time,” Tali said.

Reese groaned. “Why do I have a feeling I have no choice in receiving help.”

“You don’t,” EDI said firmly with a smile.

~~~~~

“That wasn’t so bad was it?” Kasumi asked as they boarded an elevator. “Tali even brought a new hood and sash to impress Vakarian.”

If the Quarian could have blushed through her enviro suit she would have. Instead she settled for hiding behind Reese. The human tech looked at the garment bag and the other smaller bags in her hands. She sighed again. “I guess…”

“Hey, you had fun. Admit it! You just needed an expert on the subject to show you how,” the thief replied.

Reese looked at her with doubt. But the other woman went on, “ _Besides_ everything will be better tomorrow and when the Major sees you in that dress…well, I’ll let you think about that…”

The Lt. Cmdr. sighed for the millionth time. Was it really that simple?

*****

Kaidan returned to the apartment well passed the time he and Kori usually went to bed. He had left Shepard’s place and walked back, taking the long way. His resurrected friend dating a 110-year-old Asari archaeologist turned Shadow Broker had been right. Things were only as complicated as you made them. Over 3 years ago Alenko had made the Normandy’s destruction and Shepard’s death…complicated. He had made his relationship with the first woman he had loved in a long time…complicated. And now he was trying to make the past complicated.

As the Specter entered the apartment he was mildly shocked to see all the lights and vid screen off. He had actually expected Reese to be waiting for him…she always had before _. You never told her to go away before—_

He shook his head and felt his way through the living area towards the bedroom. He nearly tripped over bags that had been tossed by the sofa. In the dim light, it looked like the girls had talked Kori into buying clothes after all. He found himself smiling. Reese shopping…That would have been interesting to see.

Kaidan paused at the bedroom door. The lights were off in there too. Was she still there? Had he driven her away?

Doubts filling his mind, the sentinel slowly opened the door. On the bed he found the Lt. Cmdr. balled up on her side of the bed in the fetal position, hugging what looked like one of his tee shirts to her chest. The steady rise and fall of her chest let him know she was asleep. He sighed in relief and the wondered if he should wake her or not—

He approached the foot of the bed and saw the troubled look on her face as she slept. His heart nearly broke knowing he had caused her to worry… _again_. Kaidan quickly removed his boots and Alliance pullover. As he made his way to stand beside the bed, he stripped out of his shirt and cargo pants. For once tossing them in the corner as Reese usually did. Once his clothes had joined the pile, he quietly crawled under the sheet with her.

Moving the tee shirt she clung to and discarding it onto the floor, Alenko snaked his arms around her. As the tech began to stir, he kissed her gently. He heard a moan emanate from her throat and pulled her closer to him. He kissed her again and then breathed into her ear, “I’ll always come back to you, Kori.”

Slowly her grey eyes opened as she saw whiskey brown ones looking back. Kaidan kissed her again. “I promise. I love you…You’re my world, my home, my reason to keep fighting…I’ll never leave you again, ever.”

“Kai…dan,” she said hoarsely, still not entirely awake.

“Yeah,” he said with the grin she loved so much.

Finally she smiled. “I had a dream…your shirt turned into you…”

He cocked an eyebrow at her. “Well, that’s not exactly what happened but I am here now.”

Reese nodded and wrapped her arms around him. He added as he readjusted himself. “And I can do things a tee shirt can’t.

He suddenly grew very quiet as he took in every aspect of her. Her tan skin, her grey eyes, her long dark hair, her determined expression…He wouldn’t blame her if she was angry at him, angry like she used to be on the SR1. Before everything between them had started. Before they had opened up to one another. But she was lying under him, not trying to push him away with a very resolute expression on her beautiful features.

"I am _not_ leaving," Kaidan whispered, his voice cracking as he felt a burning behind his eyes; he wanted to cry; she had become so strong and so determined. She had done everything and more than she had set out to do on the SR1. And he had her back…

"Kaidan." His name was a desperate plea for him to keep that promise. He shook his head and mouthed the words again. Her lips trembled and her determined expression turned abruptly to one of hesitation. “Oh, Kaidan…”

He kissed her tears away, feather soft. He trailed his fingers through her dark hair soothingly and whispered comforting words. After a time of letting herself go, Reese began to calm beneath him and he gazed at her; she held his gaze, before she slid her fingers into his slightly graying curls and pulled his head down to kiss his lips heatedly. He tried to pull away, but she mouthed _'no'_ and pulled him back. He was helpless to resist her. His fingers tangled in the soft strands of her hair, his lips moving against her own before his tongue slid into her mouth and stroked a fire that forever burned just beneath the surface.

Her hands began pulling at the sheet that had become tangled around them. He broke away just long enough to pull it away and toss it to the other side of the bed. He returned to kissing her, and she moaned into his mouth. Kaidan shuddered, his length becoming instantly hard in the confines of his boxers. Too impatient, he grabbed the hem of her shirt and simply pulled it over her head, his lips blazing a trail across her neck and collarbone, before dipping into the valley of her breasts. His mouth found a hardened nipple causing her to cry out and arch beneath him, her hips rubbing against his erection as his tongue laved her nipple and teeth tugged mercilessly at it.

A hand slid down along her trembling body to slip beneath the band of her shorts, dipping beneath her underwear and burying itself between her thighs. His fingers found her wet and hot, a moan sounding as he moved to her other breast. Reese’s fingers clutched at his shoulders as she writhed beneath him, two fingers sliding within her hot sheath to stroke her. Her hips undulated to the pace of his fingers perfectly and before long, her felt her walls shuddering around his fingers as she cried out. Kaidan kept his pace strong and deep, hitting her in just the right spot and wringing out the orgasm until she was nearly sobbing with pleasure and intense need for him.

He sat up, yanking her shorts down her slim hips and thighs, before throwing them to the floor. He tried to do the same with his own boxers, but his gaze saw her lying beneath him, glistening, eyes heated, lips parted and breasts heaving; he couldn't wait. He hastily shoved them down with his boxers, just enough leeway for his member to spring into the cool air of the room. Her arms reached for him and he willingly moved himself into them, his hips thrusting forward as he settled against her; both of them cried out as her wet heat enveloped his cock. They shuddered and he gripped her thighs, bringing them to rest around his hips as he kissed her hard, the teeth clicking as his tongue and lips caressed her own.

His control was tenacious at best and it wasn't long before the fragile thread snapped. The Major’s hips pulled back only to snap forward quick and hard, his length nearly pulling free before returning deep and sure. She moaned, her nails hooking into the skin of his shoulders as he began a frantic, hard pace, flesh slapping against flesh loudly in the silence of the room, their harsh, short breathes the only sound. His hands slid to her breasts, rolling the soft mounds in his hands as he thrust within her, fingers plucking and tweaking at the hardened pink tips. She writhed under him, ankles pressing against his firm buttocks as she shuddered, her head thrown back and expression one of sweet torment. The sight undid him, and he slid a hand between them, his fingers finding her nub, rubbing, pinching, and it was only a moment before she stiffened and fell into the waves of an intense orgasm. Her walls clenched impossibly tight on him, her body flooding him in a hot release, and his hips thrust hard, quick, uncoordinated, against hers'.

With a shout, he tossed his head back and stilled, spent. Sated, he fell to her side on the mattress, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her tightly against his side.

"Thank you," she whispered after a long moment of silence, and pressed a soft kiss to his stubbled jaw.

"For what?"

"For not leaving…"

"I said I wouldn't. Not now – not ever." He pulled his face away, cupped her cheeks in his hands and kissed her sweetly, softly, a brush of his lips against hers. "I love you, Kori. I want us to be together now and after we win this thing…I want that more than anything…I fight for that…for us to have a chance for a future. The past doesn’t matter anymore. Only you.”

^^^^^

**_2185, Michael Westmore’s apartment, Vancouver, Canada, Earth_ **

_“So you know Alenko’s being tapped for a Special Ops mission…” Cmdr. Mike Westmore asked as he leaned against the balcony of his apartment in Vancouver. He and Reese were on leave at same time for once._

_She looked up from her omni-tool she was playing with again. “Umm, Anderson has mentioned something about it but…what does it matter?”_

_“It might matter more than you think,” the marine said uncharacteristically serious._

_Reese shut down her tool and asked, “Okay, what’s up? You don’t bring up Kaidan anymore unless you’re mad.”_

_They had been in a relationship just shy of a 6 months. He’d started out as her protector on missions. Now she was almost his equal. “Reese, things are happening. Things the Alliance brass and the Citadel Council don’t want to acknowledge. The missions Anderson has sent you on. The Spec Ops missions Alenko’s been tapped for…You have to know that.”_

_“Yeah. I do. It’s called politics,” she replied still not understanding._

_“Colonies are going dark, Kora. Whole colonies. Human colonies and it’s being kept under wraps…Shepard, you, the SR1 crew…you were the best chance of stopping the coming threat and now it’s here,” he explained. “Lingering just in the shadows.”_

_“Michael, you don’t know—"_

_“Yes, I do. I’ve watched you work. I’ve seen exactly how many resources Anderson and Hackett have put into place. They are preparing because they believed Shepard. Just like you still believe in him,” Westmore said pushing off the railing._

_“You all are doing what you can to get the Alliance ready for when the Reapers finally show. The rest of them have brushed what the Normandy did under the rug,” he added as he stood in front of her. “I can’t sit by and do nothing.”_

_“Do nothing? You help me…” she protested._

_“No offense, Reese. As much as I like saving your ass, retrieving and decoding tech is your thing. Not mine. I need to do something._ Me _.” He said willing her to understand._

_She sat quietly taking in what he had said. Finally she stated flatly, “You’re leaving.”_

_Reese turned from him, hugging her arms to her chest. “Story of my life. I find a guy and he leaves me—"_

_“_ No _,” Westmore said loudly as he jerked her back to him. “I’m coming back. I’m not walking out. I ain’t running away. I’m not leaving you like he did. That’s not—"_

_“Damn,” he whispered as he leaned his forehead against hers. “I never wanted to do this to you. You deserve better.”_

_Reese took his face in her hands. “Then make me understand.”_

_“Kora?”_

_“Make me understand.”_

_`````_

_Westmore explained to her that an opportunity outside the Alliance had come up. A third party had tapped him for a civilian/ex-military response group to the disappearing colonies. Unsatisfied with the Alliance’s response to that situation and the Reaper threat, he had decided joining the other group was the better option. He would however not tell her the name of the group or exactly where he would be._

_Reese knew he was leaving things out to protect her. Whatever he was going to do and whoever he was going to do it with, the Alliance would consider it a security risk or maybe even treason. He would leave at the end of their shore leave—resigning his commission too. He spent the next two weeks making sure she understood that he would do everything he could to come back to her. But the mission came first._

_They made the most of their time together. When it was time to finally part, Westmore asked her if he came back, would she consider keeping him around until they were old and gray. Without hesitation, Reese told him yes. Promising to make every day count when he came back, he left all his assets to her for safe keeping._

_Despite all the reassurances and the preparations and the promise to return, Reese watched for the second time as the man she loved walked away. The difference this time was that she understood why._

^^^^^

**_Wednesday, December 20, 2186, Kaidan Alenko’s Apartment, Citadel_ **

“Mmmm, I don’t want to get up,” Reese murmured into her pillow.

A firm hand landed on her hip as a husky voice whispered into her ear, “Then don’t…Whatever it is can wait until later…much, much later.”

She purred in agreement as she rolled over to lay on his chest. Kaidan pulled her closer and said, “This is what shore leave is for.”

The Lt. Cmdr. giggled. “That’s funny. You said that last night too.”

“There can be more than one reason for shore leave,” he replied as he squeezed her backside.

She squealed as the Specter laughed. He kissed the crown of her head as he thought out loud, “Maybe we could go out later…just you and me…go to some parts of the Citadel we haven’t been to.”

“You want to go exploring?”

“Why not? No shooting, no mazes, no entombments, no clones, no stealing advanced warships. Just us,” he explained.

Reese thought about it for a moment and then said, “You know trouble can find us just as easily without Shepard and the rest of the crew around, right?”

“Yeah, maybe…” he said hesitantly.

She looked up at him with a mischievous grin. “What would you do if there were a clone of me?”

Reese let the question hang in the air, waiting to see his reaction. At first his whiskey colored eyes registered surprise but slowly the Lt. Cmdr. could see he was beginning to really consider the question. She watched as he scratched his chin, a beard beginning to grow and then murmured, “Two Kori’s? That would make certain thing _interesting_ …”

Reese couldn’t believe the sentinel was actually considering the question that had been originally intended to tease him, not the other way around.

“Kaidan,” she said as she pushed on his chest.

“What? You brought it up,” he said with a grin. “One could do all the housekeeping and duty shifts while the other…took care of me.”

“You did _not_ just say that, Alenko!” she said pulling away from him.

“Hey, you started it,” he replied using his strong arms to hold her still. “If doing work isn’t what the other wanted to do, then both of you could take care of me.”

Reese said something under her breath and then looked at him hard. “I don’t want to play anymore.”

Kaidan continued to grin. “Joker’s right. You can dish it, but you can’t take it.”

“You just earned yourself a not so private room on the Normandy when shore leave is over. I believe the starboard observation lounge misses you,” she said sulkily.

“You’re kicking me out because I teased you?” he said with surprise.

The tech nodded as she looked at his chest. Alenko countered, “ _Fine_. You can find your own place to stay while you’re on leave…”

“Fine.”

“Fine.”

They remained silent for several long minutes until Kaidan looked down. His tone hesitant as he asked quietly, “You’re not really sulking are you?”

“No.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

“So you are sulking?”

“No, damnit!”

“Yes you are.”

“You talked to Joker about—"

“About _teasing_ …You teasing me. That’s it. He said you could tease me but if I ever did it to you, you couldn’t handle it.”

“That’s it?”

“That’s it. I promise. You really think I’m going to tell anybody about the Mako…or the beach…or the roof of my cabin…or the porch of the cabin…or the kitchen…or that time in the gym on the SR1 when we almost—"

“ _Okay!_ I get it. I get it. You won’t tell,” she conceded.

“So I can stay in our cabin?”

“Yessssss.”

“How did you wind up with your own quarters anyway?”

“Ha! I, ummm, pulled a Liara I guess.”

“What?”

“She moved all her stuff into the old XO quarters without asking. When I started overseeing the retrofit, I found myself spending more time there than in my apartment. I had commandeered that space as a makeshift office anyway seeing as how they were dismantling the CIC deck…That room was left relatively untouched except for what I did to it.”

“Which was?”

“Convert it from storage to my cabin.”

“Is that why there’s stuff stored in life support and down in the hole below engineering?”

“Yep.”

“So how do you explain the non-Alliance issue double bed?”

“It’s mine. I bought it and put it together myself.”

“Wow, Kori…Your cabin seems like you put a lot of thought into it…”

“I did…Whenever Anderson took the Normandy as his mobile command center, I was going to remain aboard…or that was the plan—"

Kaidan thought for moment. “So you weren’t going to stay planet side?”

“No,” she replied looking up at him. “Why?”

“It would have been harder to see each other if the Reapers hadn’t attacked…”

“Yeah, but they did, and Anderson wasn’t going to leave Earth until well…”

He looked down at her. “This is turning depressing.”

“Well, how about you fix breakfast then?”

“Me?”

“Yes, you. You’re the better cook.”

“You still owe me for missing date night.”

“Na-uh, not moving.”

“Fine. But you still owe me.”

“Sure. Fine.”

*****

Reese looked the apartment over and wondered if living with the Major under normal circumstances would have been anything like this. Their stuff spread across the different rooms. Things still hers and still his. Only a few things _theirs_. If they—no-- _when_ they beat the Reapers she very much wanted to find out. Kaidan had hinted at spending the rest of their lives together but he hadn’t out right asked her. It was simply understood at this point. She figured he was either planning for the right moment being the romantic that he was, or he was still afraid if he uttered it out loud something would happen again. They seemed happy with their current arrangement and that was fine for now.

They had spent most of the day exploring the Silversun Strip especially the arcade. Kaidan had even won her a stuffed animal in the claw machine. He had spent more credits than he cared to admit doing it, but he had insisted. They had left the strip to go to some of the tech shops she had expressed interest in and bought some upgrades (a few had been charged to the SPECTREs.) Having a feeling that the final confrontation with the Reapers was drawing near, Alenko was taking every precaution to make sure she was protected the best she could be. Something was nagging at him, making him feel like they wouldn’t be fighting the last fight together. Something would keep them apart. He could put his finger on it, but he had learned a long time ago not to ignore such a feeling. Keeping her safe whether he was with her or not, was one of his top priorities.

Alenko had tried talking her into going to eat at another sushi place besides the one Shepard had destroyed but she refused. Even three years later she still didn’t eat fish unless it was in a ration pack. Apollo’s had been beaten to death with as many times as they had been there since he had been released from the hospital. He had wanted to take her to a place that was not necessarily fancy but different. Finally, they had settled on a pizza place she had found on the extranet and said it served something akin to the Canadian Lagers he was so attached to. In fact it had been very close, and the pizza was the best he had ever had on the Citadel.

The Major looked down at the woman who was leaning against him, their arms wrapped around each other’s waists. She was tired from their day out but contented to. She wore a lazy grin as she looked up at him. He returned the grin as he kissed the top of her head. Thanks to spending most of the day away from the more prestigious areas of the wards, no one had really paid attention to the fact the second human Specter was parading around with a beautiful woman on his arm. He knew he wasn’t as famous a Shepard but still didn’t like the attention the position gave him sometimes, especially when he was out with his girl. Finally for one day they had gotten to spend time with each other without any complications. Now that they had reached their apartment he hoped the night went the same.

The Specter reached for the door lock but stopped when he saw a package sitting seemingly undisturbed in front of the door. He frowned as bent down to pick it up. Reese stopped him as she ran a quick scan over it with her omni-tool. When she nodded it was okay, he picked it up and unlocked the door. The note on box simply said, “Alenko and Reese.”

Whoever had left it knew they were both staying there. They had made no real secret of it, but Kaidan was still curious. Hopefully, it wasn’t some sort of present left by a psycho admirer in the same vain Shepard seemed to draw. Reese sat down in one of the bar stools and waited for him to open it. Propping her head up on her hand, she shrugged and said, “House warming gift?”

“Ha, we could only be so lucky. I was hoping for one day with no surprises,” he said as he started to open the simply wrapped package.

“Who knows? Maybe just this once it’s a good one,” she offered halfheartedly. It was evident that she was tired and a little hungry (again).

Kaidan shook his head doubtfully and opened the box. He instantly closed his eyes and shook his head. Nope. She was not going to like this. Not one bit…

“What?” Reese asked more alert because of his reaction.

He chuckled and sighed. “Matchmaking…”

“What?” she said even more confused than before as she rose to her feet and snatched the box from him. She looked in the box and started cursing. “Aww, hell no. There is no way in freaking hell I’m gonna do that. I ain’t gonna and nobody including you is gonna make me. Ferget it!”

She slammed the box on the bar counter and walked away towards the bay window. Kaidan just grinned after her. Sometimes she was cute when she was angry. She slipped into an American Southern draw she tried to hide. Even though she had grown up predominately off world, the colonists had been mostly from the South and carried their dialect and traditions with them. She only slipped into the accent when she was mad about something silly or very, very tired. Right now he’d bet it was both. But either way, he figured with enough pestering he could convince her to accept the gift in the box. It would be nice to see her in a dress which he figured she had bought the other night without really having a reason to…

Now she did…

He glanced from her silhouetted form back to the package and read the note and tickets inside again.

_Kaidan and Reese~~_

_Glyph has procured tickets for a charity event hosted at the Silver Sun Casino tomorrow night. It is raising money for refugees. Specifically human refugees. It was requested that both human specters attend the event to help raise funds and morale. Other members of the Normandy will also be in attendance. I have been requested to tell you to meet at Shepard’s apartment two hours before the event to prepare. And Shepard has requested no dress blues for either of you. Black tie required._

_Liara_

_P.S. Kasumi has also requested that Reese bring what she bought during the shopping trip and she will help utilize it correctly._

Yep, some very smooth talking was going to be necessary. He had never seen her in a dress so maybe any pain she would inflict on him would be worth it. But he did have one trump card; she still owed him for missing date night last week…


	22. Chapter 22

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> @@@smut after the return to Kaidan’s apartment@@@

**_Thursday December 21, 2186, Shepard’s Apartment, Citadel_ **

“I can’t believe I let Kaidan talk me into this. I _don’t_ do this. This…This isn’t me…” Reese stuttered as she motioned vaguely at the mirror in the upper spare bedroom of Shepard’s apartment.

Kasumi grinned and rested her chin on her fist. Admiring her work she replied, “Oh this is _very_ much you, Reese. You just needed the right kind of encouragement. _And_ the Major will definitely think this is very much you. It’s just the side you don’t let come out and play.”

“ _Playing_? Is that all you think about?” the Lt. Cmdr. asked as she scrutinized herself in the mirror again.

“Hey! With the Reapers here, you have to take the fun when and where you can get it. If you don’t, you risk forgetting what you’re fighting for,” the master thief replied with a shrug.

Reese considered the wisdom of those words as she looked herself over again. Kasumi had helped pick out the dress and had done her hair. It was the best she had looked in a long time. Ever since her colony had been destroyed she hadn’t indulged in such things. But maybe Kasumi was right, for Kaidan she should…

For _herself_ she should.

The Lt. Cmdr. turned to the other woman and smiled. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. Just make sure you have fun,” the Japanese woman said with a knowing smile under her hood.

“I will,” Reese promised as she wondered if Kaidan was at all nervous like she was.

`````

“This could end one of two ways…” Kaidan murmured as he checked himself in the mirror for the hundredth time. He wore a black tab collared suit that matched Shepard’s. It was actually one of Shepard’s. Somehow the first human Specter now owned clothed that didn’t sport N7 or the Alliance logo on them. Either way, Kaidan was sure aside from an excuse to go to the casino, his former CO and his lovely Asari were trying to make sure the two biotics stayed together this time. Their help was nice but a little annoying at the same time.

“And which ways are those?” Shepard called from the door way. He was leaning against the door jamb with his arms crossed, a knowing smirk on his face.

Alenko turned to his friend and replied, “I either wind up back in the infirmary by the end of the night or well, I’m not saying the second option.”

“You get _lucky_ ,” the N7 said for him. “It’s okay to say it out loud, Kaidan. You and Reese will go back to your apartment and shag like rabbits I think is the term I think I’ve heard her use.”

Alenko glared at him but said nothing. He didn’t like anyone talking about Reese that way. He never had, even before they had become romantically involved. But it was Shepard and he meant nothing by it. Instead, the biotic ran a hand through his hair again. It was staying in place for now…

“You know, Kaidan, you look kind of nervous. Haven’t you two been on a date before?” the Commander asked as he eyed his friend closely.

“Ummm, well I wouldn’t count the dinners or lunches we’ve caught here on the Citadel as dates and everything else has been on the Normandy…” he replied a little embarrassed. “We had shore leave before the SR1…but we stayed at my cabin most of the time…We had the coffee date that started all this and some laid-back dates but nothing like _this_ …”

“Seriously, man? You two have never gone on a fancy let’s-dress-up formal date? You’ve…” Shepard commented dumbfoundedly.

“I walked away from her after the SR1 went down…One of the biggest mistakes of my life…” Kaidan said as he looked at his friend. “I’ll spend the rest of my life making up for that.”

“That’s…a pretty big commitment there, Kaidan. Does she know? I mean have you asked her to…” Shepard asked motioning vaguely upstairs where Reese was getting ready.

“Nah, I haven’t asked her anything. I’ve just told her, _promised_ her that I’m not leaving her ever again,” Alenko admitted knowing his friend thought he had done more.

“Have you thought about asking her to marry you?” he asked.

“There’s a war on, Shepard,” the sentinel replied as he headed for the door.

“I may know something about that, but that doesn’t mean you have to stop living. I’ve seen the way you two look at each other…That’s not something to be taken lightly or for granted. Do what you think you have to but do what is right for you too. Don’t use the war as an excuse…” the other man said as they walked out into the living area.

Kaidan’s hand went to his pocket but he stopped mid-motion when he saw Liara standing in the middle of the room. Even though he had never been attracted to the alien like Shepard, she was still a sight to behold. She wore a long, sleeveless dress. A high collar around her neck gave way to a dipping neck line revealing her ample cleavage. The back of the shimmer white dress dipped low, just above the small of her back. The archaeologist turned a deeper blue under the intense stares of both men.

“I thought this would be more appropriate for an actual date instead of an infiltration mission,” she replied quietly. The dress she had worn during the mission to get to Elijah Kahn had been much more conservative.

“I like it,” Shepard said as he approached her. “ _A lot_.”

“Thank you,” she said as he put his hand around her waist and leaned into kiss her quickly.

Kaidan, feeling very awkward, rubbed the back of his neck and wished Reese would show up. Shepard looked back at the other Specter. “Making you uncomfortable?”

“Umm, yeah, a little,” Alenko admitted.

“I’m sure that LC will be down in a bit. Kasumi probably wants to make sure everything is perfect,” the Commander replied as he faced the other man. He kept one arm firmly around Liara’s waist.

“Reese seemed nervous earlier. I’m sure it will pass,” the Asari said with a reassuring smile.

“Yeah, she didn’t get a lot of opportunities to dress up growing up. She was a tomboy from what I gather. She didn’t even get to wear the dress she bought for Jr. Prom because of the accident on her colony. It’s the only time I’ve heard her regret not dressing up…” Kaidan said as he tried to keep up a positive attitude. The longer she was up in the spare room the more he feared she had changed her mind. His hand went to his pocket again, but he stopped himself for a second time before he hoped anyone would notice. It wasn’t time yet, especially if she were having second thoughts.

As he looked out the window, he noticed that something had caught Shepard’s attention when Liara sucked in a breath quickly. He turned to see what was going on and saw Liara holding her hand over her mouth, covering a smile. The other Specter was grinning as well, trying very hard not to look guilty at the same time. Kaidan frowned and glanced up in the direction of the staircase near the entrance way.

At the top of the stairs stood Reese in a short midnight blue metallic dress. Her long dark brown hair spilled loosely over her shoulders in wavy curls framing her face. The dress looked as if the straps wrapped around her neck and were held together across her collarbone by a decorative piece of metal. Below that the neckline plunged just low enough to show cleavage but not enough to reveal all. The back of the dress however was lower, about mid-way down her back. It was more conservative than Liara’s but it complimented the tech well. The color brought out her grey eyes which hesitantly met his whiskey ones and then darted away.

Kaidan was speechless for a long time. He had never seen her look so amazing. She always looked beautiful to him but right now she was shimmering—no biotics needed.

Kasumi appeared behind her and said, “Cat got your tongue, Major?”

His concentration broken, he looked over at the thief. “Pardon?”

“I think she means you’re supposed to say something nice about your girl, Kaidan,” Shepard said helpfully.

“Ummm, right,” the sentinel replied a little timidly. He glanced back at Reese and said, “You look…amazing.”

“That’s it? Hours of work and ‘ _amazing’_ is the best you can do?” Goto said sounding a little put out.

Reese cringed just a little, holding one hand across her stomach to hold her other arm. Kaidan noticed that the air of confidence he had associated with her since meeting her again was gone. She was actually nervous and uncertain.

Suddenly Shepard suggested, “Maybe we should let them be alone for a few minutes before we head out?”

“Of course, Shepard,” Liara agreed as she motioned for Kasumi to follow.

The master thief gave the Lt. Cmdr. a big grin and then walked down the stairs gracefully. As she walked passed Alenko she gave him a disapproving look and headed to the office area with Shepard and T’Soni. Kaidan ignored the other woman and turned his attention back to Reese who still stood motionless at the top of the stairs. She met his gaze and shifted uncomfortably. She hadn’t been uncomfortable around him since the first couple of visits while he had been in the hospital.

Slowly he started his way up the stairs to her. He watched as she shook her head ever so slightly. All he could do was smile as he realized it was moments like this that he was fighting for. The good ones, the bad ones, the awkward ones. To have more moments with Reese and to keep having them…

He came to a stop one step below her, putting him at an even height with her. He reached forward and took both her hands in his. He looked her in the eye and said softly, “You are so beautiful, Kori.”

“Kaidan, you don’t have to say…”

“I mean it. Remember my magic ability to say the right thing doesn’t work in front of other people…” he said with a half grin.

She looked down at their hands and watched as he brought them up to his lips. After he placed a tender kiss on hers, the sentinel added, “You look utterly gorgeous and I would be an idiot if I let you out of my sight for even a second tonight.”

He shifted her hands to his left one and raised his right to caress her cheek as he leaned in to whisper in her ear, “I might be more possessive than usual tonight, sweetheart. I don’t want anyone getting any ideas…”

Reese pulled away a little to look at him. The predatory glint in his eye told her just how deadly serious he was and how turned on he was by the way she was dressed. His thumb grazed her lips as she nodded. “You are going to protect me from—"

“Everyone who looks at you wrong,” Kaidan finished for her as he kissed her hard. She moaned softly into his mouth as he moved his hand to pull her against him. Running his hand over her bare back, he felt her shiver as he continued to kiss her. “So beautiful, no matter what you wear…I love you, Kora.”

“Love you too,” she managed to say once she recovered.

He smiled at her as he pulled away and offered his arm. She took it and asked, “Are you going to use this as an excuse to show off your chivalrous side?”

“Well, someone has to show the rest of the galaxy that some on the Normandy have manners and know how to treat a lady,” he replied with pride. His mother’s lessons growing up would not go to waste tonight.

“Kaidan…”

“We are going to enjoy ourselves. Hopefully without any interruptions,” he said firmly as they made their way down the steps. “Besides, you deserve a _real_ date.”

“I’m fine with what we’ve done…”

“Kori, I want to do this for you. Just this once.”

“Okay.”

“Thank you. Now let’s get the others before they get too impatient and try embarrassing us some more.”

~~~~~

**_Thursday December 21, 2186, Kaidan’s Apartment, Citadel_ **

“That was fun…” Reese admitted as they entered their apartment. “But my feet hurt.”

“Used to combat boots and not heels, I guess?” Kaidan commented as he bent over and started removing her shoes.

“When have you _ever_ seen me in a dress, except for tonight, Alenko?” she asked.

He thought for a minute. Never. As he threw her shoes in the corner, he looked up and said, “Your shoes for your dress blues are flats, aren’t they?”

“Yep,” she said as she shed his borrowed suit jacket. Kaidan stood up and took it from her. Tossing it onto a nearby chair, he looked her over in the dim light of the living area. He watched her and grinned. “Yes, Major?”

“Just taking in the view, Lt. Cmdr.,” he replied huskily. He loomed over her as she leaned against the wall in the entrance way.

She cocked an eyebrow and then asked, “Think everyone knows you have a girl now?”

“They better, and they better know she’s off the market. _Permanently_ ,” he replied as he rested a hand against the wall over her left shoulder.

“You seem awfully confident in that belief, Major,” she replied quietly. He had been possessive all night. Not that she minded, it had been nice. But he had balanced it with letting her do her own thing too. He had really come into his own regarding their relationship.

Kaidan hooked a finger under her chin and tilted her head up to look at him. “Tell me now if I’m wrong.”

“You know you’re not, Kaidan,” she replied noting how intense his gaze was. He was thinking something; something he thought very important…about them.

She watched as he fumbled with something in his pocket. He had been doing that all night. It had at times become very annoying, other times she had been able to ignore it. Now she was just plan curious. The look in his whiskey colored eyes was so intense and serious, it almost sacred her to imagine what was going through his mind. He hadn’t drunk much of anything intoxicating during the night, so that wasn’t a factor. It was almost as if he had made it a point to be totally sober and clear headed for whatever he was about to do.

He leaned in closer as he brought his hand out of his pants pocket. Suddenly she saw nervousness mixed in with his confident look. Regardless, he breathed into her ear, “I hadn’t planned on doin’ it like this but the hell with it…Kori, marry me.”

Reese watched as he opened his hand to relieve a simple silver ring with a small blue stone embedded in it. She looked up at him and saw that beneath his calm expression was a hint of fear. A small part of him thought she would reject him. Her heart almost broke at the realization that some part of him still thought he could lose her again. She reached up and cupped his cheek and said without a second thought. “I will.”

Relief washed over his features as he leaned down and kissed her gently. She smiled against his lips as he pulled back and quickly slipped the ring on her left hand. She noticed his rush and prodded, “Afraid I’ll change my mind?”

“No. Just afraid something will interrupt. We’re due…” Kaidan said with a shy grin. “I’d like to avoid that and just have a normal…”

“Kaidan, you’re a Specter and we’re both member of the Normandy’s crew. There is no normal,” she interrupted as she moved to rest her hand at the base of his neck.

“Hey, you’re an N7 now too,” he protested as he pulled her against his chest. She smiled up at him as she rested her left hand against his chest. “That just means you can get into more trouble.”

“Maybe,” she said looking at the ring more closely. It was simple and the stone was her favorite color blue. The color of Kaidan’s biotics.

He watched her closely and the asked, “Is it okay? You don’t exactly wear much jewelry…”

Reese looked back up at him and kissed him. “I love it almost as much as I love you, techboy.”

“I’m glad. I don’t want to admit how long it took me to find it…” he said as he nuzzled her hair with his nose.

“Or how much it was?”

“My secret.”

“Okay, Alenko. You keep your secret,” she said running her fingers through his hair lightly. He hummed his appreciation as he closed his eyes and leaned his forehead against hers. She smiled as his left hand began to drift down her hip to her leg. His fingers curling in under the hem of her dress.

Almost inaudibly, he said, “Kori…”

She grinned and moved to whisper into his ear. “Possessive?”

“Extremely,” he replied as he began to nibble at her neck. She tilted her head to allow him better access which only fueled his desire. His hand traveled farther up her leg under her dress to cup her behind. “ _My_ girl.”

“Always,” she confirmed as she pulled at his shirt. Kaidan responded by placing his other hand on her hip, pulling her closer so she was nestled against him, his arousal pressing against her. Keeping her firmly against wall, his thigh slid between hers. The Major could feel the heat coming off in waves as she began to rub herself against his thigh. One hand still under her dress holding her hip, the other firmly kneading her breast. She moved her hips in slow circles and heard him chuckle in the back of his throat. She moaned as his hands suddenly moved to wrap around her ribs, lifting her up against the wall so her feet dangled a few inches above the ground. Her heavy-lidded eyes were level with his at this point, her eyes full of desire. She licked her lips as his hovered just above hers, yearning for his kiss.

"I'm going to show how possessive I can be," he promised in a soft murmur, his breath hot against her lips. Dropping her to her feet, a smile tugged at his lips as she whimpered in protest at the loss of his touch.

"C'mon," Kaidan said as he quickly pulled her behind him to the bedroom. Reese followed quickly; her aching feet forgotten as she tried to keep up with him. She knew he was grinning about the whole thing but maybe they deserved a little bit of happiness…

The Lt. Commander’s attention was drawn back to Kaidan when she was suddenly yanked off her feet and set down on the edge of the bed. Her breath caught in her throat as he stepped between her knees and set about doing exactly as he'd told her he would do to her.

He tugged on her dress, undoing the clasp around her neck allowing him to push the straps from her shoulders, his lips pressing hotly to every inch of skin as it was revealed, making her shiver and squirm under his mouth. Her hands went to the fastenings of his dress shirt, but he caught them with his, and looped them around his neck, "Ah, ah, not yet."

She made a whining noise in her throat and moved her hands to fist in the front of his shirt, "Now, I need you now," she panted.

"Soon, sweetheart," he soothed, his lips finding her breast, his tongue brushing hotly against her fevered skin. She cried out as he sucked her nipple into his mouth, his teeth nipping her just enough to make her hips jump and her head roll back. He laughed softly as he tugged the dress the rest of the way from her, tossing it over his shoulder. He reached out to quickly slips her panties off of her as well. She sat on her bed before him, gloriously naked, her head tossed back and back bowed, her thighs parted so he could see her glistening center.

He leaned over her, pressing fiery kisses to her belly, and murmured against her skin, "Show me where you want me to touch you."

His whiskey eyes met her grey ones as her breath caught in her throat. Her teeth caught her full lip, and her hand drifted down her abdomen slowly, hesitantly. She stopped at the curls at the apex of her thighs, hovering there for a moment. Taking a deep breath as his eyes encouraged her to continue, she stroked her slick folds, rubbed her clitoris in small circles, a moan breaking from her lips. Her hips rocked against her own hand, and she groaned as she slipped a long digit into her wet core. He licked his lips as she stroked herself, and his head dipped down to take over, capturing her exploring hand, taking each finger into his mouth with a low groan, swirling his tongue over the pad of each finger.

He pressed his lips to the soft skin of her inner thigh and felt her muscles pulsing just under the surface as his teeth nipped at the sensitive flesh. Her fingers flew to twist in his salt and pepper curls, a strangled cry breaking from her lips. Her thighs quivered as his mouth travelled up, his tongue stroking her soft skin, his teeth nipping at her delicate bundle of nerves making her legs jump of their own accord.

"Come for me," he murmured against her, flicking his eyes up at her, a wicked glint in their whiskey brown depths, and she gasped as his tongue slid into her.

"Kaidan," she moaned, and he felt heels digging into his back as her climax rocked through her with a sobbing cry.

"Kaidan," she moaned, "Kaidan, now," she whimpered, her back arching as he suckled her.

"Oh. Please," she begged, unable to resist anymore. She panted as a second orgasm crested within her, and she cried out again, tugging hard on his hair.

He pressed one last, lingering kiss to her hyper-stimulated flesh, and straightened, making quick work of his rest of his dress clothes. "Lay back," he chuckled, gently pushed her farther up the bed. He crawled on top of her as her nudged her legs apart.

Reese could feel him pressing against her tight entrance, and he slid the tip of his thick erection in and out, teasing her as her hips rocked against him. With a shared moan, he slid into her, reveling in the feel of her wrapped tightly around him. She wrapped her hands around the base of his neck, her fingers playing with the curly hair there as he pumped his hips into her, his pace fast and strong. She came again as his teeth clamped down on the skin of her shoulder, her muscles spasming erratically around him as she sobbed his name.

He panted against her ear, " _Mine_ ," he proclaimed as he thrust into her. She gasped as she felt him swelling within her, twisting closer to him so she could just capture his lips.

"Mine," she gasped against his mouth as an orgasm built up in them both, their mutual cries of passion ringing in the air.

He rested his head against her shoulder as she ran a hand through his hair. He hummed in contentment as he rolled them onto their sides, pulling back to rest against his chest. "That was…"

"Fantastic," Reese breathed, rubbing her palm over the arm that held her tightly, the other pillowed her head.

"Yeah, I was," he murmured smugly, laughing gently as she smacked his arm.

"Smug _and_ possessive much?" she observed playfully.

"Sweetheart, there is no way in hell I’m letting anyone think otherwise," the Major replied, his arm tightening around her.

Reese chuckled. “So you’re a smug Specter now?”

“That’s _not_ what I meant, and you know it, Kori,” he said lifting her left hand up and kissing her ring finger. “I’m possessive of you…I don’t want to be controlling or anything, but I don’t want people to get the idea you’re on the market either.”

“It’s not like I’ve been shopping for a guy, Kaidan…”

“I know. It’s just after everything…I want this to go right…”

“It will. Believe.”

“With you, I believe anything is possible.”


	23. Chapter 23

**_Saturday, December 23, 2186, Commander Shepard’s Apartment, Silversun Strip, Citadel_ **

  
“This is Joker’s idea, and the Commander went along with it,” Reese stated flatly as she watched the Normandy’s crew attempt to ‘ _party_.’ She stood near the counter between the kitchen and the living room.

Kaidan glanced over at her. “Well, yeah. Why not?”

“Because it was _Joker’s_ idea. Something is bound to go wrong,” she replied as the Specter took a swig of his beer.

He pointed the neck of the bottle at her and said with a sideways grin. “You, Lt. Commander, need to relax.”

“And _you_ , Major, are drunk,” she said with a smile as he watched some of the guys set up bottles to shoot on the bar. Meanwhile, she heard Garrus and the merc named Zaeed preparing plans to make the apartment ‘ _safer_.’ All she could do was shake her head in amusement. The people Shepard befriended…

“I am _not_. You haven’t seen me drunk. I am _buzzing_ ,” he clarified with another grin.

“Geez, the _only_ good thing about my metabolism is I can’t get drunk…” Reese mumbled as Kaidan leaned over and kissed her awkwardly.

She pushed him away gently as he started to pout with those puppy dog eyes she could never resist. Vega just happened to walk by at that point to retrieve more munchies from the kitchen. The Lt. stopped and looked the pair over. “Mako, is the Major okay?

“That depends on your definition of okay. For him? No. He’s on his way to being drunk.”

“Is that why he’s _pouting_?” the Lt. asked with a grin.

Reese nodded as Kaidan protested. “I am _not_ pouting. I’m _disappointed_. There’s a difference.”

Vega and Reese looked at the L2 in confusion. The Lt. chanced a question. “Um, why?”

“Kori’s not playing fair.”

“Kori? You mean Reese? What did she do?”

“She’s not relaxing like you’re supposed to at a party?”

“I think you’re relaxed enough for the _both_ of us, Alenko,” she chided as she shook her head, whoops of victory emanating from the bar in the other room. Apparently, the target practice was progressing well.

“No. You’re supposed to have _fun_ …Why don’t I lift up Vega like Liara did?” he said as he started to flare.

“Oh no you don’t, techboy! Not while you’re ‘ _buzzing’_ and not after Shepard said no,” Reese said as she looked at him pointedly, trying her best to resist the sulky tone of his voice and the pleading puppy dog eyes.

His flare died as he hung his head. Reese ran her hand through his hair as she grinned. “You need to find something else to do, Kaidan.”

The Specter was quiet for a long moment as Vega continued his way to the snack area. Quietly Alenko said, “I think I’ve thought of something to do…”

“And that would be?” Reese asked as she tilted her head in his direction.

He looked up with a mischievous grin as he said, “This.”

Suddenly Kaidan launched himself at the new N7 and grabbed her. Before she could respond he dipped her backward as if in a dance and kissed her hard. He pulled back slightly with a triumphant grin as Vega whistled. “Whoa, Major! Smooth moves!”

“Thank you, Lt.,” the L2 biotic said as he continued to grin broadly, proudly.

Reese regarded him with a stern glare but was in fact entertained by his antics. “Okay, Kaidan. You made your point. You can let me up now.”

“No, I think you still need to relax more…Maybe I can help more with that…” he murmured suggestively.

“Whoa, the Major’s getting’ it on!” Vega called more loudly than Reese liked.

“Oh no, Major Alenko! You’re done enough already,” the Lt. Commander replied as she awkwardly dislodged herself from his grasp.

The clumsy actions forced her back into the counter where Vega stood on the other side chowing on snacks. Catching herself by slamming her hands against the counter top, she let out an annoyed sigh. “That could have been more graceful.”

She looked up to find Kaidan grinning at her as Vega let out a whistle causing Reese to frown. “What is it _now_ , Vega?”

“So you guys weren’t going to tell us or what?” he said with a mischievous grin.

“Tell you what?” she asked straightening her shirt as she noticed Kaidan was wearing an embarrassed grin.

She frowned and turned to see the other marine with his mouth full pointing at her left hand. The Ops officer’s eyes went wide as she quickly hid her hand behind her back. Kaidan cleared his throat and said, “I wanted to say something later but since you—"

“Hey, amigos!” Vega yelled abruptly. “Grease and Mako are gettin’ hitched!”

Reese swore under her breath as Alenko wiped his hand over his face. “Maybe I should work harder on being drunk…”

~~~~~

“So James was right. You two weren’t going to tell anyone?” Shepard said as he threw back another beer. Kaidan glanced over at his friend as he leaned against the railing on the second-floor balcony. The party had started to wind down and the two old friends had found a few minutes to themselves. Most of the others had retired to different parts of the apartment passed out or entertaining themselves without loud destructive behavior—for the moment.

“That’s not true…We were. It’s just…We were gonna wait…Kori forgot to take the ring off and we were running late—“ Alenko tried to explain as he watched this fiancée shot an omni-arrow at Vega. He cut himself off and smiled as he hung his head.

“You have your hands full there, Major,” the N7 observed as the Lt. quickly jumped out of the way. The arrow quickly changed directions and struck him harmlessly in the butt.

“I know,” the biotic replied as he looked at his hands.

“Say, why would she take the ring off?” Shepard asked as Vega let out an injured yell.

In the distance, Reese called, “That wasn’t even on stun, you big baby.”

“Regs. Fraternization…” Kaidan replied looking at the other man.

“A little late to worry about that isn’t? You’re living in the same quarters on the Normandy _and_ you’ve made no secret of your relationship.”

“Ah, yeah. It’s not what I signed on for when I joined the crew of the SR1,” Kaidan begrudgingly agreed.

“Well, some of us will never look at a Mako the same. That’s for damn sure,” Shepard prodded as he watched the group down stairs.

“You know, you don’t have to keep bringing that up,” Kaidan muttered as glared at the Commander.

He only smirked at the Major and then asked, “Are you two gonna go ahead or are you going to wait until…”

“We haven’t really discussed that. We just…I just kind of asked her out of the blue…Well, not out of the blue. I had been thinking about it off and on since I got out of the hospital even with all the crap we’ve gone through. And the kick to the head you gave me the other night…I bought the ring after that…before I went home,” Kaidan replied as he looked down at Reese. “I can’t go on doing what we have to do and her not know exactly what she means to me…Not again.”

“I get that. I do. But this war…” Shepard said as he finished his beer.

“This war be damned. We’re not losing to the fucking Reapers and I ain’t losing her,” Alenko said pointedly as he turned back to his friend. “We are all walking away. No more sacrifice.”

“Amen,” Shepard said as Reese looked up at them and gave them a big smile. She was nowhere near drunk and was enjoying being the only one besides Jack in that state. “It must be nice not having to worry about a drunk girlfriend.”

“Well, yeah I guess,” he agreed absentmindedly. He had become used to the quirks of her metabolism from her second eezo exposure a long time ago.

“She just has to worry about a happy drunk L2 biotic,” Shepard added in an amused tone.

“Hey, I’m not that drunk,” Kaidan protested as he pushed away from the railing. “Just ask Kori.”

“Well, I could but the medical scan she ran on you speaks for itself,” Shepard said as he started to head down stairs.

“Wait, _Medical_ scan?”

“Yeah. One of the times you almost blacked out…Apparently you’re a cheap date, Alenko,” the N7 threw over his shoulder.

“I. Am. _Not_. I’ve drunk my fair share of beers in my time,” he continued to gripe as he followed the Normandy’s captain.

“You didn’t just have beer. LC said you drank Traynor’s _special_ drink,” Shepard reminded him.

“I…I don’t want to talk about that.”

“I thought not.”

~~~~~

“How exactly did you think you could party like that and not pay for it?” Reese asked as she gently guided Alenko back to their apartment.

“I thought I’d…just have a hangover…not—" he replied as his hand went to his head again.

The Lt. Cmdr. shook her head as she opened the door and led him to the bedroom. She made sure the lights were as low as possible and that any comms or messages for him would be forwarded to her for the next little bit. As she sat him down on the edge of the bed, the Major groaned and flopped back on the mattress. Reese removed his boots and turned back the covers.

She glanced back at him and shook her head again. “Do you want meds?”

He shook his head slowly. “Not that bad yet.”

Reese sighed and asked again, “Are you sure you don’t want to take anything? At least to prevent it from—"

“ _No_ ,” Kaidan whispered slightly in distress. “Make it go away.”

She frowned as she started to reach for the side table where the meds were kept. A strong hand on her wrist stopped her. Kaidan was squinting at her with a pleading look. “ _You_ make it go away, please. Just you.”

This pained puppy dog look undid her every time. She sighed again and removed her own shoes as he maintained his firm grip on her arm. Reese looked down at him again and knelt down on the mattress beside him. Leaning over him, she kissed his forehead and worked her way down to his lips. Kaidan responded by trying to pull her down on top of him. She resisted as she moved to massage his temples, repeating the motions she had done dozens of times before when he had migraines.

“Mmmmm, Kori…need to tell you something…should have weeks ago…” he mumbled as she continued to lean over him.

“It can wait, Kaidan. You need your rest…” she replied as he pulled at her again.

“No, no. I need to tell you _now_ ,” he said insistently. “I, my migraines…after Mars…they got worse and happened more…”

Reese continued to massage his temples but sucked in a breath. Kaidan raised up a hand to cup her cheek. “I…after the Angel One mission…they happened less often…but they can still…get pretty intense…almost as bad as right after I got my implant.”

The Lt. Cmdr. leaned down and breathed into his ear. “You should have told me…but now I know…but don’t ever keep something like that from me again, Kaidan.”

“Kori…ever since we…talked about everything and…we’re together again…they have been less…” he said as he moved his hand slowly to the base of her skull. “I need you…I’ve always needed you…You were the last thing I thought about when I thought I was gonna die on Virmire and Mars…I love you…I always have.”

“Kaidan…”

“No matter what happens…I will always be here for you and love you…never doubt that,” the brown eyed biotic said as he pulled her down to the mattress, against him.

“Kaid, I know. I believe you, but you have to take care of yourself and let me help…” she replied with a smile as she tilted her head up and kissed him gently.

He hummed his agreement as she pulled the blankets around them, not caring that they were both still wearing their clothes from the party. If she could help him get over his headaches and migraines without him having to use meds, then she would do it. The one fear they hadn’t confronted—hell, they hadn’t even talked about it--was the eventuality that his implant may begin to fail at some point. He was stable. He had been cleared by Chakwas and the other doctors who evaluated him every six months. But she knew that it was always in the back of his mind…and hers.

Kaidan curled up against her, resting his head against her chest, allowing her to massage his head. Reese smiled against his hair. He had asked her to make the headache go away. That was his way of letting her know he wanted her help, wanted her to help take care of him, even when he was being stubborn.

She glanced down at the ring that she wore silhouetted by the Major’s dark hair, peppered with grey strands. They would beat the Reapers and have the life they wanted. That was a promise.


	24. Chapter 24

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> @@@smut in the section where Kori finally returns to their quarters after working late@@@

**_Tuesday, December 26, 2186, SSV Normandy SR2 en route to Thessia_ **

“So shore leave was cut short because the Asari councilor _finally_ decided because of some secret they should have told us from the beginning?” Vega asked as he watched Reese go over her weapons loadout. Alenko leaned against her locker shaking his head.

“Yeah, apparently there’s a temple or something hiding a piece of Prothean tech in plain sight,” she answered as she wiped down her sniper rifle.

“Do you really need _all_ that?” Kaidan asked.

“Ummm, yes. You’re the one who taught me to be prepared for everything…” she replied with a smirk.

“I didn’t teach you to carry an armory with you,” he said as Vega looked at him.

“Wait. _You_ taught Mako?” he asked in disbelief. “But you weren’t in the N program. Were you, Major?”

“No. I wasn’t. But I taught Kori about _biotics_ —the _right_ way—on the SR1,” Alenko replied as the L3 put away her weapons.

“I guess you could say I was the guinea pig for his current teaching job with his Spec Ops group,” Reese added as she stood up.

“Ha! I don’t see you letting anyone teach you anything!” the younger marine commented as he helped her stow her gear.

“It wasn’t easy,” she admitted. “At first I didn’t want help, but I needed it. And I had to learn to swallow my pride in order to do what’s best for the team…and myself.”

“You two seem good together…Why are you just now gettin’ hitched if you were together on the original Normandy?” Vega asked.

Kaidan made motions to answer and the look on his face told her he was going to say it was all his fault. She waved him off as she said, “We weren’t ready back then.”

“So four years later during the middle of a war for our very existence is when you’re both ready?”

“Sure. Why not?” Reese replied with a shrug. “Besides, Kaidan’s always been a hopeless romantic. This fits perfectly.”

“Kori…”

“Hey, look at it this way. You two are giving the rest of us hope that there can be and _will_ be a future after all this…”

*****

**_Wednesday, December 27, 2186, SSV Normandy SR2, leaving Thessia, Parnithia System, Athena Nebula_ **

Reese rushed down to the shuttle bay as soon as possible after Joker had made sure they were well away from the now fallen Thessia. It was not the outcome any of them had expected. But now all they could do was pick up the pieces and try to get back in the game. Of course that was the last thing on the ground team’s minds as they shed their gear and met the Lt. Commander at the elevator.

The Ops Officer stood silent as Shepard leaned heavily against Liara and refused to meet his first officer’s gaze. All he said was, “Get us the hell out of here. The ship is yours until further notice, LC.”

“Aye, sir,” she said softly, not saluting. Hesitantly she asked as they moved to the elevator, “Would you like me to make the initial report to Hackett, sir?”

“I…This time yes. Tell him I’ll contact him shortly…” the N7 replied as the doors shut behind him and Liara. Reese had never seen him so…defeated. Even when they had been grounded after Virmire he had still looked defiant and confident they could stop Saren. But his expression alone gave her pause now. If he and Liara were like that…what about Kaidan?

She glanced over at the lockers and saw Alenko slowly, laboriously putting away his armor and gear. “Joker? I’ve got the ship until Shepard says otherwise. Can you find us the closest, safest resupply depot, port--whatever and go. I don’t know what we’re doin’ next, but I want us prepared.”

“Roger, Reese. Do we need to contact Hackett?” the pilot asked. He was all business which meant he was just as upset as everyone else.

“I—I’ll go do it. Have Sam scan for a sector with the least enemy activity so we can set up the QEC,” she replied as she walked over to her fiancé. “I’ll be up in a little bit. Reese out.”

Kaidan turned slowly to look at her as he shut the door to his locker. “Hey.”

“Hey,” she echoed as she came to a stop in front of him. She placed a hand lightly on his chest. “Are you okay? I mean—"

“Just a little banged up. Good considering everything,” he said with a small smile. It was the one he used to give her on the SR1 when he was hiding the fact everything was definitely not alright, and he didn’t want anyone to know it.

She placed a hand lightly on his cheek. “That doesn’t work on me anymore, techboy. Everything _isn’t_ alright. I know that. I just want to know right now, are you hurt? Do you need a doctor?”

“Let Shepard get patched up first, okay? I need to stand here and look at you more right now,” he replied putting his hands on her hips. “I need to know we can still win this thing.”

“Kaidan…I’ve never seen the Commander so lost…” she admitted as she rested her head against his chest.

Alenko exhaled and said, “He’s spent the past four years trying to stop this and the last piece of the puzzle was ripped away from us…and it could have been avoided if everyone would have just _listened_ in the first place.”

“In that kind of world people like Shepard, you, Anderson wouldn’t be necessary to keep the rest of us safe. But unfortunately we live in a galaxy where Cerberus is after their own agenda and the rest of sentient life be damned,” she said with more venom in her voice than she had intended.

Alenko hugged her tightly. “I won’t let them get away with this. _We_ won’t. We’ll get back in the game and we’ll hunt down those Cerberus bastards and make them pay,” the Major promised as she hugged him back.

He let out a grunt and she pulled away. “Kaid?”

He gave her a sheepish grin. “Banged up remember?”

“Bruised rib?” she asked with a stern stare.

“Yeah,” he admitted as she pulled him by the hand to the elevator.

“You go see Chakwas and I’ll go…brief Hackett,” she said not meeting his gaze.

He stopped her and asked, “You want me there?”

She shook her head. “No, I need to do this alone…but I’ll meet up with you right after…I think I’m going to need to…”

“I’m here for you always,” he said as he brought her hand with her engagement ring on it to his lips and kissed it.

“I know.”

~~~~~

The mood aboard the Normandy since the fight with Kei Lang and the loss of Thessia and the Crucible data had been somber to say the least. No one wanted to admit that Cerberus had gotten the better of them, especially Shepard. Reese had been in the War Room after the QEC briefings with the Asari Councilor and Ad. Hackett. She had never seen him so…beaten. And if she had anything to say about it, she never would again.

With both Liara and Shepard out of the game for the next little bit, Reese took it upon herself to try and figure something out. Some recourse. Something they had missed. Something that could them back in the game. Something in addition of Traynor’s hunch. And five hours later she was still in the War Room staring at all the data, intel, and sims she and her team had run since the Reapers had arrived. Something was there. The answer. It had to be. She just wasn’t seeing it. Sam, EDI, Kaidan…no one had seen it, but it was there. She couldn’t bring herself to believe otherwise.

Reese lowered her head and closed her eyes as she leaned against the console. With her in temporary command, she felt even more pressure to come up with options. What did everything have in common? The Reapers, the signals, the Cerberus data, the Illusive Man’s belief that control was possible, the Crucible…What did it do? How did it destroy the Reapers? Why did it look like each cycle had added to it, making it bigger, more powerful? Where did the power come from?

“Looking at all this is only going to either drive you crazy or depress you more,” a low gravelly voice said.

She glanced over her shoulder to find Kaidan staring back at her, his hair disheveled and a hoodie thrown over his P.J.’s “What are you doing here?”

“It’s 01:30, Reese. I woke up and you _still_ weren’t there…” he replied as he placed his hands on her shoulders and squeezed. “You should get some sleep. You’re no good to anyone cranky and sleep-deprived.”

“I can’t…not yet. Part of the answer is staring me in the damned face and I just don’t see it…” the Lt. Commander replied as she turned back to the holos and displays.

She pulled up the Geth data again and stared at all the strands of code and signals they had collected and were analyzing. Kaidan dropped his hands to her hips and stood flush with her back. “Sweetheart, please come to bed…”

“I can’t, Kaidan. This is too important…I _have_ to find it. We have to get back in the game. I can’t let Shepard down. He’s not in a good place now…” she protested punching up a copy of the code she had modified on the previous mission when she had jumped out of the back of the Normandy and compared it to some collected from Rannoch and Thessia. A lot of the code was active, some of it wasn’t. But she had seen some of it before, not from the Reapers. Somewhere else. But where?

“Kori, please?” he said in a more insistent tone. “People died down there. I watched hundreds die and couldn’t do anything to help. It was…It was Earth all over again.”

The new N7 frowned. Why was he being so needy? Where the hell had she seen that part of the code before? She barely heard him exhale as he leaned his forehead against her shoulder. “Kora?”

_“Help this one convince both Shepard-Commander and Creator Zorah that giving sentience to the Geth will end the war and provide assistance against the Reapers,” Legion said. “In doing this, you will gain the processing power of millions of platforms…”_

_She looked at him in disbelief. He was asking her to help him make his people self-aware like himself without going to Shepard first. There had to be a catch. “What don’t you want them to know? How could the Geth become self-aware?”_

_“The same way this one has maintained its autonomy…We possess Reaper code—,” Legion said._

“Holy shit! It can’t be that simple!” the Lt. Commander yelled as she remembered the conversation with Legion. He had been right. It was possible, just not enough time…

Alenko jumped back at her outburst and watched as she started manipulating the various consoles like a madwoman. He knew he was forgotten when she got like that. She was convinced she had found something and only that would be her focus. His need for her was a distance second. It didn’t happen often, but it was a downside to a relationship with the tech. He retreated back to their quarters and attempted to sleep but knew it would be a long time coming. Too many things haunted him and unlike Reese, work offered no help.

~~~~~

Kaidan heard the door to their quarters open and close about an hour later. He was lying on his side facing the wall and made no move to acknowledge the new presence in the room. He was angry that he had taken second place but if she really had found something important than maybe it was worth it. It still didn’t seem fair though.

He heard her shed her BDU’s and boots and a few moments later felt the sheets move as she slid into bed beside him. A soft hand brushed lightly over his arm and skimmed up to his jaw. A soft voice said, “I’m sorry, techboy. I know you needed me…I just got wound up in more work…I couldn’t just sit around and do nothing…”

He opened his eyes but said nothing as she caressed his cheek. When he didn’t respond, she gently pulled him onto his back and moved to straddle him. Leaning over him, she looked intently into his whiskey brown eyes. “I’m here now an’ I’m not goin’ anywhere, Kaid. I won’t let this continue if I can do somethin’ ta help. I won’t let what happened ta Earth, Palaven, an’ Thessia an’ too many other worlds be in vain. I see what it’s done ta Shepard an’ you an’ I have ta do somethin’…I have ta…I don’t know what else ta do…”

Kaidan listen to her words and the conviction her tone held. He also noticed how thick her accent had become. She only did it when she was close to losing it, losing her control over everything. He lifted his head and kissed her tenderly. “I know you’ll do everything you can to help Shepard and to make the Reapers pay, but I…I’m selfish right now and _I_ need you.”

Reese leaned down and kissed him hard as he wrapped his arms around her waist. His fingers played with the waistband of her shorts and pushed her closer to him. She arched her back and pressed her hips into him. Kaidan grunted as she continued to grind into him, his arousal pressing into her abdomen. She moaned into the kisses she planted along his lips, jaw, and neck.

Kaidan grunted her name as he threaded his fingers through her hair and pulled her head to face him again. As she looked at him with love in her grey eyes, Kaidan suddenly rolled her over, reversing their positions. With him on top, he said, “I love you more than anything. I can’t lose you. I _can’t_ —"

“You won’t lose me, techboy,” she promised as he dropped his head to her neck and trailed kissed down her collarbone. She hummed her contentment at his attention to her as she felt him move against her. He kissed her mouth hard again; Reese could feel his need to be in control as he held her hands gently but firmly against the pillows.

With Kaidan in control their tongues danced, and their hands felt around, removing the rest of his pj’s. It didn’t take long for him to be stripped down to his briefs and Reese ran her hands over the exposed flesh, pulling him flush against her. He growled once more, his hands gripping the fabric of her clothes frustratingly. He pulled away from their kissing, narrowed his eyes, and he began to glow blue. Before Reese could question him, she felt the tingle of his biotics as the rest of her clothing was skillful removed.

She gasped in surprise and she felt herself grow wetter. She still found the more confident Kaidan very arousing, and she took a moment to study his body. While he wasn’t bulked up like Vega, he was surprisingly muscular and toned. Likewise, Alenko was examining Reese’s curvy frame. His eyes raked up and down her body, taking in the view with a hungry expression.

Suddenly Kaidan glowed a brighter blue and quickly unfastened her bra. Her breasts were bare for him to see now, and they were full and round, her nipples hardened from arousal and the chill of the room. The Specter grabbed her breasts and squeezed, causing the tech to arch her back and moan loudly.

“I need you. I want you to say my name,” Kaidan said in a low voice, his eyes never leaving her face. His hands squeezed her breasts once more, before his thumbs slid tantalizingly across her sensitive buds. “I want you to scream it.” Reese was beyond words and simply whimpered at his touch.

The Major bent down and latched his mouth to one of her nipples, sucking on it roughly before slightly grazing it with his teeth. Reese’s hands flew into his black hair, gripping tightly as she felt a jolt of pleasure rush through her body and pool into her center. She was soaking wet and he hadn’t even touched her down there yet. She didn’t know how much longer she would last.

Pulling his mouth away from her nipple, Kaidan slid up the rest of her body, until his forehead was pressed against hers, his fingers teasing the nipple he had just stimulated with his mouth. His mouth sought hers, needing to taste her. His arousal was hard and ready.

With Reese’s help, he pushed his boxers down and off, allowing his arousal to spring free. It pressed persistently against the Lt. Commander whose hand closed around it immediately. Her grip was tight and her fingers skilled as she stroked him to his fullest. Kaidan let himself groan loudly, his lips grazing Reese’s and his hips moving along with her hand. He needed and wanted to return the favor as he slipped his hand into her underwear, gasping at the moisture he felt.

She was just as aroused as he was, and she made his fingers slick with her essence as he began to stroke the small nub he found. He attached his mouth to her neck, sucking and biting. He briefly wondered if he was being too rough, but Reese did not seem to mind. She let out the most erotic grunt he had ever heard, and her grip tightened on his throbbing cock.

“Y-you…I want--” Reese broke off and groaned. She tugged on his cock. “Please, Kaidan.”

Kaidan couldn’t help smirking as her bluntness and he ached for her even more. He kept stroking the flesh between her legs. “In due time,” he murmured, his fingers exploring her soft folds. He found her slit with the tip of his finger and slid the digit in with one fluid motion.

Reese, not expecting such a move, let out a loud shriek. The hand that had not been stroking him flew up to tangle in his short hair. She bit her lip and tossed her head back, allowing him to have more access to her neck. The sentinel attacked her neck and began to move his finger roughly in and out of her soaking wet slit. She was making the most intoxicating whimpering noises that he had ever heard.

He wanted her to make more, and he wanted to feel more of her. He slid a second finger in, and he felt her tense immediately. Trailing his kisses up her neck and along her jaw, he pressed his forehead against hers once more. Her eyes fluttered open and they were like large, grey orbs. Alenko kept moving his fingers in and out of her, reveling in how coated they were in her arousal. He began to stroke her clit with his thumb and Reese became reduced to a sweating, rutting, mumbling mass.

“Damn it, Kaid!” she hissed. His name had never sounded so erotic to him before. “Don’t keep me waiting! Please!”

Withdrawing his fingers, he pulled away slightly. “Not yet,” he growled, crawling down the bed.

Reese let out a frustrated growl and sat up, resting on her elbows. “Why the hell not?!” she snapped. But Kaidan did not respond. He grabbed her underwear and slid them off of her before he pushed her legs apart, skimming his hands under her backside to lift her, and attacking her soaking wet folds with his mouth. Another unexpected move from him that left her breathless, and when she did catch her breath, Reese screamed. She did not cover her mouth or try to stifle her noises in any way. She bent her legs to steady her body before she grabbed Kaidan’s hair.

She wasn’t going to last. His tongue was not only teasing her clit, but also pushing deep inside her. His mouth was all over her and she needed his cock immediately. “NOW!” she exclaimed. “PLEASE!”

He had never had a woman beg him for pleasure like that before and he was not going to disappoint her. As good as she tasted, he reluctantly pulled his mouth away and licked his lips. He was ready to explode as well and he was so hard, it hurt. Lowering her bottom half, he grabbed her wrists with one hand and pinned them above her head, laying his full body on top of her. He could feel the wetness and heat of her opening against his cock and he rubbed against it, groaning. He would not keep either of them waiting.

With his other hand, he nudged her legs farther apart, took hold of himself, and entered her in one quick motion. Both let out loud yells as they finally reached the moment they had been waiting for. Kaidan was completely overwhelmed and remained still for a few moments, his chest heaving as he used his shaking hand to hold himself up. Reese was whimpering and biting her lip, but she too remained still, her wrists still pinned down.

When Kaidan began to move, there was no stopping him. His hips were pumping wildly, and his grip on Reese’s wrist was tight. She wrapped her legs around his toned frame and began to meet the thrust of his hips with her own. Nothing could be heard except their heavy breathing, and the slapping of their skin. The Major could not control his movements and he punctuated each thrust with a loud grunt.

Reese arched into him, flexing her fingers and trying to pull her hands out of his grasp. She wanted to touch him. He could feel her hands moving and he released his grip. He tangled his fingers into her soft hair. Her hands flew to his back and he could feel her nails scratching him. He winced and yelled as she scraped one of his more recent scars. Her hands stilled and her mouth sought his, in an apologetic kiss.

One of her hands slipped into his hair, and the other softly rubbed the spot she had scratched. He melted into her touch, the pain immediately slipping away. When she felt him relax, Reese began tracing his scars with her fingers.

Kaidan was growing closer with every thrust, and he could feel how soaking wet his cock was. Every time he pulled away, she pulled him back in with her own thrusts. In that moment he felt he belonged right there, buried deep inside the beautiful, strong woman beneath him. They were both sweating profusely and Kaidan knew he was minutes away from unraveling.

He adjusted his hips for a more comfortable angle, when Reese let out a shriek louder than her previous ones. Her eyes were wide and she seemed surprised. Kaidan knew what had just happened and sent every thrust from that point on to that spot.

Reese began shaking, and her grip on him grew tighter. The bed was moving back and forth, and she had a brief moment where she wondered if it would break. She didn’t care however and continued to meet Alenko’s thrusts.

She was so close.

Kaidan could feel his orgasm building and if his eyes weren’t shut tight, he would have noticed he was glowing brighter as he got closer. Reese’s eyes were shut as well, and she blindly sought his mouth. Their kisses were sloppy as their bodies rocked against each other’s. Kaidan couldn’t hold back anymore and he threw his head back as he came, exploding into the sweating, moaning woman below him. The room was flooded with blue light for a moment, before the glow coming from the L2 biotic slowly faded.

Seconds after his orgasm, Reese trembled against him and Kaidan felt a rush of wetness against his softening cock as she called out his name. “KAIDAN!!!”

He brought her into a crushing embrace as he murmured into her ear, “Kora. My Kora.”

“Always,” she said as they fell into a restful sleep, knowing the morning would only bring more problems. But in that moment, everything was perfect.

`````

Kaidan woke up later to find Reese sitting up leaning against the headboard staring at the group picture from the party Glyph had taken. Her free hand was absentmindedly stroking his hair. He supposed that was what had woken him up but there was something in the way she stared at the picture. Thoughtful yet determined.

He placed a hand lightly on her leg and called her name softly. She looked down at him with a smile. “You know this is a long shot. Right, Kaidan?”

“What? Winning?” he asked as he sat up beside her.

“Yeah, but we—the team—seem to thrive on that. EDI once told me that all the odds we had overcome were statistically improbable but _not_ impossible,” the Lt. Commander replied as she glanced back at the picture. “She said she had learned from Shepard that as long as there was still a chance there was still hope…”

Kaidan wrapped an arm around her shoulders as she looked up at him. “Of course after that she quoted Spock from _Star Trek_ and said there are always possibilities.”

Alenko chuckled as he hugged her. “Something tells him you, EDI, and your little group of techies are working on giving Shepard another option.”

“ _Options_ , plural. Hopefully,” she replied as she set the picture back on the end table.

“Sam requested to follow up a lead on her own and EDI is helping with that _and_ coordinating with the Geth on a possibility…” she trailed off.

He noticed she had gotten quiet and buried her head in his shoulder. “Kori?”

“Kaidan, this _has_ to work. Too many have already been sacrificed. I won’t let anymore as long as I can help it…I don’t want to lose anymore to math…sometimes sacrificing one to save many is still too much…”

“Kora, we’ll figure this out…Let me help,” he said.

“Tomorrow…I need to know if it’s what I think it is. I’ll know tomorrow.”

“Okay. _Tomorrow_ …”


	25. Chapter 25

**_Thursday, December 28, 2186, SSV Normandy SR2 location: classified_ **

“Umm, Commander? There is a Geth fighter requesting to dock…” Joker called over the comm.

“Why? We’re getting ready to hit Cerberus. The Geth are supposed to be working on the Crucible or fleet prep on the final assault,” Shepard called as he glanced at Reese.

The Lt. Commander had a guilty expression as she waved at him. “Reese, _what_ did you do now?”

“My backup plan, sir. You really need to let him aboard. Please?” she replied.

“We don’t have time. The fleet is amassing for the strike on Cerberus…And we have to get to Sanctuary before Kai Leng moves on…” the N7 continued to protest.

Suddenly Joker came back over the comm. “Ah, Commander? The Geth is docked and aboard.”

“I didn’t authorize that—"

“ _I_ did,” Kaidan said from across the room.

“Alenko, you can’t—"

“ _Specter_ authority,” the biotic replied firmly. More emphatically he added, “John, we _need_ this Geth. Let Kori do what she’s good at. We need her to be annoyingly right and unorthodox right now. _Trust me_ …What she’s working on will help big time when we’re ready to use the Crucible.”

Shepard looked from the other Specter to his first officer. “Sir, let me do this so you can concentrate on kicking Kai Leng’s ass. I assume all responsibility for the Geth. Please, Shepard? If there were ever a time to trust me without question _now_ is that time.”

He considered her words. “Fine, but you two go retrieve your friend.”

“Thank you, Shepard,” Reese said almost squealing as she walked passed him. She suddenly turned and kissed him on the cheek. “Thank you. I _won’t_ let you down.”

The confused Shepard watched as the other N7 ran out of the room. He glanced back at Kaidan who shrugged. “Don’t read too much into it, Shep. She’s spoken for.”

“Ah, yeah,” the first human Specter replied. Lowering his voice he said, “Make sure you two know what you’re doing. This Geth isn’t Legion and since they all have sentience now they know right and wrong.”

“I know…We’ll be careful. But _trust_ us with this…” Alenko assured his friend. “This _will_ work. Now go get to kick ass.”

~~~~

Reese stood in the cargo bay with Kaidan next to her. Cortez and Vega stood off a little behind them. At the consoles stood a squad of armed security officers. The Lt. Commander sighed. “I guess I should have explained exactly how I was in contact with the Geth…”

“Umm, yeah. That might have been helpful,” Kaidan observed as he let his hand hover over his sidearm.

The two-biotics looked up at the Geth towering over them. If Kaidan read its head flaps correctly it showed curiosity and nothing else. It’s height and blood red armor did nothing to make it look any less menacing though.

“Anyone want to tell us _who_ authorized a Geth Prime to dock on our ship?” Vega asked holding very large gun.

Kaidan held up his hand without turning around. “That would be me.”

“With all due respect, sir, have you lost your mind?” Cortez asked in a very serious tone, his hand resting on his own side arm.

Alenko snorted. “Maybe…”

Reese wiped a hand over her face. “Okay, look you guys can make fun of me later…but this is the Geth’s…representative I’ve been conversing with.”

“A Geth Prime? Why not one like Legion?” Vega asked.

Before she could respond the Geth Prime moved his head to regard the Lt.’s. “To accommodate the processing power required and the nature of Reese-Commander’s request this platform volunteered for the assignment.”

“ _Volunteered_? How does a machine volunteer?” Vega asked skeptically.

“How does an unshackled AI fall for a smartass pilot?” Reese asked. “They are fully sentient now. They can _choose_. This one chose to help me. Is that a problem?”

“No, ma’am,” Cortez replied.

“Nah, Mako. But I still get to keep my own gun right?” Vega answered.

“I do not intend harm towards your compatriots, Reese-Commander. Weapons are not needed…” the Geth replied as several compartments on his armor opened.

Everyone tensed as different weapons appeared and then were extended in Reese’s direction. “As a show of good faith between allies, I will relinquish my weapons to Reese-Commander.”

Kaidan helped his fiancée hold the small arsenal as she said, “Umm, thanks. Everyone better now? Can we get to the whole ‘Reese’s crazy plan’ thing now?”

“Which is?” Vega asked.

“Letting this Geth help us so Shepard can focus on other things. Your kind of things for the moment, Lt.,” she replied motioning for the security team to secure the weapons.

“ _My_ kind of things?” Vega repeated sounding a little annoyed.

“She means blowing things up, general destruction…Your thing,” Cortez clarified.

“Oh well, yeah. That’s me, Mako. You know it!” he said with pride.

“Reese-Commander, to facilitate better relations with organics and to differentiate myself from other Geth, I have chosen a designation,” the Geth Prime offered.

“You have a _name_?” Kaidan asked still half skeptical of the Synthetic.

“Yes, Alenko-Major. _Legacy_ ,” he replied.

“Legacy?” the Major echoed, intrigued by the name. “Because of what Legion left you?”

“Correct. We must honor his sacrifice and I believe aiding those that allowed our existence is the correct way…”

“Okay, but you have to call us by our names…at least me. Just Reese. No Reese-Commander. It’s a little weird,” the N7 replied.

“We understand…Legion impressed on us that may be undesirable for you…”

“Impressed? You have Legion’s memories?”

“All Geth platforms do…His experiences are a part of us, and he hoped that it would help us work with organics more efficiently.”

“Honoring another Geth for the sake of efficiency. Wow,” Vega commented.

“Lt., don’t you have something to prove to Garrus or some weights to lift?” Reese asked with a glare.

“Umm, yes, ma’am,” he said hesitantly not sure if that was the right answer.

“Good. Go.”

As everyone filed out, Reese turned back to the Geth. “I don’t know if you are familiar with the concept yet. But I’d like to apologize for the Lt.’s behavior.”

“We are aware of the concept and many others we will have to grow accustom to while cohabitating with organics.”

“Other concepts?” Kaidan asked.

“Yes. An example is the organic need and desire to pair off both for reproductive needs of the species and recreational purposes as explained by Shepard-Commander to Legion.”

Reese laughed as Kaidan became very quiet. Legacy continued, “You and Reese share such a commonality, correct? But I detect an inability to propagate the species due to medical inhibitors. Therefore your purpose must be recreational.”

Reese cleared her throat as she explained, “Not exactly. That part is fun, but we are bonded…mated. We intend to marry once the war is over.”

“A monogamous relationship based on the organic emotion called love?”

“Yes.”

“Intriguing. I will research the concept…”

“Right. Can we go to work now?” Kaidan asked, shifting uncomfortably beside her.

“Sure…” Reese replied, grinning the whole way to the elevator. Kaidan was so adorable when he was embarrassed by talk of their sex lives. He would probably never get over it and she had no intention of ever letting it go.

~~~~~

“Reese, do you think this is the wisest course of action?” Tali asked as she looked at her with a cocked helmet.

The Lt. Commander sighed. “Is everyone going to keep asking me that? I’m starting to think I know exactly what Joker went through when he unshackled EDI.”

“I don’t doubt you, Reese. I just…they only gained free will recently…” the young Quarian said as she returned her attention to the code scrolling in front of her.

“Legacy is here to help, and I will give him the benefit of the doubt. Shepard has done the same thing for others like him, including myself. I will do the same,” Reese replied as she glanced over at the Geth Prime who was communing with the other Geth. “I have to do this for everybody.”

The Quarian looked back at her friend. “You really want to do everything you can to help Shepard, don’t you?”

“I _owe_ him, Tali. We _all_ do. He’s been through so much and sacrificed so much. I owe him the best I can give him and if I can give him the best chance of succeeding and coming back alive then I will,” Reese said, her voice full of determination.

“Creator-Zorah. Reese. We believe that the correct line of Reaper code has been identified. However, delivery and execution of the altered code is…problematic,” Legacy chimed in.

Reese shook her head as Tali commented, “Since when has anything been easy?”

*****

**_Friday, December 29, 2186, SSV Normandy SR2, en route to Sanctuary, Horizon, Iera System, Shadow Sea_ **

Kaidan looked at the datapad Reese had handed him before she had gone to brief Hackett on their progress. Shepard was still wary of the Geth’s assistance and presence on the Normandy, but the Major chalked it up to wanting revenge on Kei Leng. Either way, the Commander was more focused on the mission to find the Cerberus agent now while Reese’s team made steady progress with her ‘project.’

Of course she credited a large part of their current progress to Legacy. Kaidan was not surprised to see the Geth ‘staring’ at him as he peered over the pad. He cocked an eyebrow as he asked, “Yes?”

The Prime seemed to hesitate then said, “You are concerned about my proximity to your mate.”

“That’s one way of putting it,” the biotic said flatly.

Legacy stood silently for a long moment. “May we ask why?”

“Let’s just say the last time I was this close to a Geth Prime it was trying to kill me and my team. We escaped by exhausting our ammo and our biotics,” Kaidan said as he laid the datapad down.

“You defeated your enemy to accomplish you goal,” Legacy commented without any hint of emotion.

“Yes.”

“This occurred before sentience?”

“Yes.”

“You will not accept us wholly as allies because of past experiences?”

“No. I will. _Eventually_. The Turians were once human enemies. Now they are allies. I know from experience those prejudices can be overcome but it will take time. My issues with the Geth will pass in time in kind.”

Legacy considered his words and then said, “You are protective of your mate?”

“ _Extremely_ ,” Kaidan said firmly.

“That is…logical,” Legacy replied as his head flaps moved again.

“Logical?” Alenko asked confused. Since when did emotions equal logic?

“For a human,” the Geth replied with his version of what Kaidan guessed to be a smile.

The Major nodded with a small smile of his own. “That is something we can both agree on.”

~~~~~

“You convince Hackett of your little plan?” Shepard asked from the doorway of the QEC.

Reese turned to see him leaning against the door. Knowing him, he had been there the whole time to see if she had told the Admiral anything different from what she had told him. “He seems…opened to it, but he has reservations…I think if you told him you believed it would work he’d go for it…”

Shepard stared at her with his arms crossed over his chest and said nothing. Reese sighed. “And I guess you don’t really believe it can work either…”

The Lt. Commander started to walk passed him in defeat as she said, “I’ll keep you apprised—"

Suddenly she felt a hand on her upper arm stopping her. She glanced over at the Commander. He had never touched her like that to make a point. “Hey, LC. I _want_ this to work. If it does, you guys save everybody and kill the Reapers. That’s what I want.”

“You don’t believe that I’m right—"

“I _want_ you to be right. I want organics and synthetics to live. But this war hasn’t given us a lot of options.”

“That’s what I’m trying to give you, Shepard. Options. It’s the one thing I think I can…”

“Don’t sell yourself short, Reese. I kept you on as XO for a lot of reasons. You’ve come into your own in my absence and that is a great thing. I need you to keep pushing and pushing me when needed. I need you to be right. So go be right. Give me what I need to win this thing the _right_ way.”

Reese could feel herself begin to blush at his candid compliment as she nodded. “Thank you, sir. I will.”

“Good. Now go give me something to convince me that you and your pet Geth are right and I’m worrying about nothing,” he ordered lightly as he let his hand drop back to his side.

“Aye, sir,” she said with a smile and a salute. “I won’t let you down. I promise.”

~~~~~

“I need a beer,” Reese mumbled as she stared at the holo-interface Legacy had provided. It showed a detailed chain of code that they had singled out to concentrate on.

“You don’t drink,” Alenko called from behind her dressed in full armor. She glanced behind her and grinned.

“Then you can drink one for me, Mister Canadian Lager,” she replied as she pushed away from the console.

“Ha. Don’t think so. At least not right now. Mission and all,” he said with a grin of his own.

Reese sighed and moved to stand in front of him. “Are you sure you want to go on this one? You were just on the last one…”

“Shepard doesn’t get a break and this time neither do I,” he answered as he ran a gloved hand through her hair. “I need to make sure John…is okay. This one is… _personal_. More so than usual.”

The Lt. Commander placed a hand on his armor over the Specter symbol. “I know. I just wish I could go…”

“No. You’re needed here more right now,” Kaidan said firmly as he motioned toward the holo image. “Besides, you get this figured out and you can go on the next one…I think you’ll have to…”

“The final assault on Cerberus? You think that we’re that close?” she asked as the Geth Prime watched them.

Reese shook her head as Kaidan nodded. “Yeah, I do. And for that one, as much as I don’t like it, you should probably go too…since you have some of the most experience and knowledge with them beside Shepard.”

“You are concerned for your mate, Major?” Legacy asked as he regarded them.

“Yes,” Kaidan said simply as he looked at the Geth.

The Prime remained quiet for a long moment as if in thought. Reese looked from the synthetic to Alenko. Frowning she noticed, the other biotic looking at the sentient machine intently. Almost like they were having a silent conversation. Finally, Legacy said, “I will assure that Reese is protected. No harm will come to her person while you are away.”

“That is not necessary—“ Reese started to say.

Kaidan cut her off. “I’ll hold you to that.”

Legacy gave his version of a nod as Kaidan added, “I need you to do one more thing.”

“Your request, Major?”

“Make sure you and Kori have a solution ready when we get back,” the Specter said. “We need to have that if we are going to save everybody.”

“I…understand,” the Geth Prime replied as his head shifted to Reese. “We will not fail. There is no margin for error. All sentient life must survive. We have determined the addition of this protocol will increase the odds of success.”

“That is what I wanted to hear,” Alenko said as he held his fiancée tightly to his chest. “Maybe you’re learning what organics are all about after all.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have begun posting on tumblr a series of prompts based on n7 month 2020 for each day of November. Those prompts will be featured in the next part of “All or Nothing.” These prompts will showcase instances in Kaidan and Kori’s lives that were mentioned in Messages and Broken Road but not described in detail. If you’re interested, the story titled “Where Will You Be When This Is Through?” is available now and being updated everyday until the end of November. Thank you for reading and take care!


	26. Chapter 26

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> @@@smut in the last two sections after the return from sanctuary@@@

**_@@@smut in the last two sections after the return from sanctuary@@@_ **

****

**_Friday, December 29, 2186, Sanctuary, Horizon, Iera System, Shadow Sea_ **

Major Kaidan Alenko looked around at all the carnage that the Cerberus operation had incurred. Whatever the pro-human group had intended for the base, it was long since finished. The Reapers and Miranda Lawson had seen to that. The recordings the Ex-Cerberus agent had left warning off refugees had answered the question of what Cerberus had wanted with Sanctuary. Apparently Miranda’s father had funded experiments with reaper tech on unsuspecting refugees.

The L2 let out a disgusted sound as Shepard lead the way through the compound. Vega and Garrus, loaded to the teeth, followed the Commander closely. Both men still eager to add to their body count. The Specter said, “Shepard, if she’s still here, won’t Kai Leng be close behind her?”

“Yes,” was all the other Specter said as he quickened the team’s pace. Lawson had been on his team during the O-4 Relay mission. Kaidan still wasn’t sure he understood everything that they had gone through, but he did understand that missions like that foraged strong bonds between the survivors. Not asking anymore questions, Kaidan followed his formed CO and hoped they reached the ex-Cerberus agent before Leng did.

~~~~~

_“This is Miranda Lawson. If you managed to get this far, you must be desperate or stupid. Listen to me. This is not a refugee camp. This is a Cerberus facility run by my father, Henry Lawson. Turn back now. There is no help to be found here—all communication is being blocked from the central tower. Sanctuary is a lie. Stay away.”_

“Okay. So we’ve got Cerberus, Reapers, and Miranda’s crazy father. Any ideas how this all fits?” Shepard asked as they all checked their weapons again. Something about the facility was wrong in more ways than one.

Vega shrugged and said, “Maybe crazy killers attract one another.”

“I think Shepard was looking for a more in-depth explanation, James,” Garrus commented.

“Well, I’m paid to kick ass not to explain why it needs kicking,” the Lt. countered.

Shepard looked to Alenko who shook his head. “I remember Reese mentioning something about some intel suggesting that some factions of Cerberus was experimenting with Reaper tech…more than what we saw on Mars.”

“That’s wonderful news,” the Commander said as they made their way across an open area toward a security panel. As he shut it down, the ground shook and then stopped. “What. Was. That?”

Garrus looked over the area and observed, “That’s Cerberus tech all right, but there’s something different about it.”

“Modifications?” Shepard asked.

Garrus replied as he glanced at Kaidan, “A lot of modifications.”

“Fun,” Shepard stated flatly. “We have a back way into the facility. Let’s move.”

Vega took point as Garrus covered their flank. Alenko stuck close to his former CO, noticing the subtle change in his mood. As the L2 shadowed Shepard, he said quietly, “I know this is personal, Shep, but don’t think you have to do this alone.”

“I think I know that, Major,” the N7 replied.

The second human Specter placed a hand lightly on the other man’s shoulder. “Then don’t forget it, John. I know you’ve been through more than anyone should ever have been, but you have more friends and allies then anyone I know.”

Shepard looked at the former Lt. and gave him a short nod. “Good to be reminded of that sometimes. Thanks.”

Kaidan gave him a tight smile as Vega said from ahead of them, “Cerberus…and using Reaper tech…This is going to be bad, isn’t it?”

“Ummm, James, you have no idea…” Garrus replied as he pointed to a monitor in what looked to be a command center of some sort. 

“Wait, aren’t those the refugees?” Vega said with disgust. “They’re just rounding them up and killing them?”

“ _Worse_. They’re being turned into Husks,” Shepard clarified.

Kaidan glanced out the security window into the bay below. “And it looks like the poor bastards are between us and the tower.”

“We need to end this…and Cerberus,” the Commander said firmly as he signaled the others to take up formation around the door to the bay.

“We’re right behind you, Shep,” Kaidan reassured him.

“Good. Let’s get this over with,” the N7 said as they continued to move farther into the instillation.

~~~~~

After fighting a hoard of husks and several leftover Reapers, Shepard’s squad had run into a recorded message from Miranda, a record from Henry Lawson, and a surveillance vid of Kai Leng talking to TIM. From them, they were able to determine that the Reapers had considered whatever Lawson was doing for Cerberus a threat. In addition, Miranda did not know Leng was at the facility nosing around for something the Illusive Man wanted. Either way Shepard’s goals where now linked: shut the Sanctuary facility down permanently, find Miranda and her sister, and kick Kai Leng’s ass until he revealed the location of TIM. So far they had found more left overs than any of the group thought remained. The Commander was starting to become annoyed that the extra fighting was slowing down their progress. It was evident he was single minded in their attempt to reach Lawson before Leng did.

Kaidan watched as Shepard pounded his fist on a door panel that refused to cooperate. “Damn it! _WHERE_ the hell is that bastard?”

“Umm, Loco? Yelling isn’t going to get him to answer,” Vega said cautiously as he eyed Alenko and Garrus.

“No, but it might make me feel better,” the Commander replied as Garrus looked at the panel with his omnitool.

“Kaidan, give me a hand with this thing will you?” the Turian asked as he motioned to the door control.

The second human Specter nodded as Vega asked, “I can try to tap into the security system again to see if we can get a lead on Lawson or Leng.”

“Do it,” the N7 replied as he fiddled with his weapon, the annoyance obvious to everyone.

As the Lt. hacked the system again, Kaidan glanced at his friend again. Softly he said, “Give it a moment, John. We’ll get them. You know that.”

“Yeah, I do. But sometimes patience isn’t one of my strong points,” the Normandy CO replied with a tight smile.

“Yeah, we know. Using a grenade to kill a swarmer comes to mind,” Garrus commented as they made progress on the door.

There was silence for several long moments until Vega said hesitantly, “Umm, you need to see this, but I don’t think you’re going to like it.”

“I don’t like anything about this place, so yeah,” Shepard said as he went over to stand beside the younger man at the security console.

Vega played the vid again. Shepard watched as Leng sneered at a door control similar to the one they were trying to open. “I see you, Lawson.”

“Where is this room?” the Commander said loudly as he jabbed at the screen.

“It’s through there,” Vega said as he pointed at the door that both techs were currently working on unjamming.

“Alenko. Vakarian. _NOW_!” was all Shepard said.

Garrus looked at Kaidan with a Turian version of a smile and said, “After you, Major.”

The Canadian nodded and flared his biotics. Suddenly the door was blown open by a strong biotic push. Vega and Shepard rushed through the door as Garrus turned to Kaidan, “Remind me again never to piss you off.”

~~~~~

Every corridor that they came across, Shepard would call out for Miranda or have Kaidan scan the area for her, Leng, or Henry Lawson. So far it was all in vain. There were signs of struggle but no one yet. Not even Kai Leng.

Suddenly Alenko held up his hand to stop the group. He motioned to the door in front of them and held up 3 fingers. Shepard nodded and said quietly, “Ok. At least one of our targets is in there. There others could be friendlies. Follow my lead. Understood?”

The rest of the squad nodded their understanding as they took up positions around the Commander. He counted to three and then opened the door. The security door opened to reveal Miranda Lawson lying on the floor several feet away by a desk.

“ _Shepard!”_ the ex-Cerberus operative breathed as the N7 caught movement from across the room.

Taking the lead, the Specter moved in towards her. He rounded the corner to see Henry Lawson with his arm wrapped around the neck of a young woman who strongly favored Miranda. Training his gun on the older man, Shepard slowly made his way towards the pair, slow not to spook Miranda’s father.

“Commander Shepard. Excellent timing,” Lawson said with sarcasm as he pointed his own weapon on the N7.

“Put the gun down,” Shepard ordered firmly as Kaidan scanned Miranda for injuries. Garrus and James were flanking their CO as he faced the elder Lawson.

“No. Oriana tried to shoot me. Miranda’s poisonous influence, no doubt,” Henry Lawson replied bitterly.

Shepard looked around the room and said, “I’m sorry she missed. Where’s Kai Leng?”

“I don’t know. Gone. He took my research and left us here to die,” replied the wealthy man honestly.

Without looking in her direction, Shepard called out, “Miranda, can you hear me?”

Kaidan helped the genetically enhanced woman to her feet as her father warned, “That’s close enough. _Both_ of you! Kai Leng didn’t finish the job, but I will.”

“This ends here,” the N7 replied as Kaidan joined the others in training his weapon on the billionaire.

Miranda moved to stand closer to Shepard as her father countered, “On the contrary. Now that the Reapers have been taken care of, we have a way out.”

“Let her go,” Shepard warned again.

“Shepard, don’t let him take her,” Miranda pleaded as she held her side, still weak from an earlier fight.

“Shepard, please,” Oriana breathed realizing what her father really wanted to do.

All were silent for a moment with their guns still trained on each other. Finally the Specter said diplomatically, “I have no problem with you. I just want Oriana and the research data.”

“You want a lot,” Lawson replied.

Shepard moved to stand beside Miranda, gun still trained on her father. “You get your life in return. How much is that worth?”

Henry Lawson visibly considered the offer and then said as he pushed Oriana to the floor, “Alright. Take her. But I want out alive. Deal?”

Kaidan suddenly felt a biotic flare from Miranda and the next thing any of them knew was Henry Lawson went sailing backward. As he crashed through the window, Alenko saw the afterglow of biotic energy around the ex-Cerberus agent’s hand. The scream from her father as he plunged to his death was ignored as his daughter said, “No deal.”

The squad put away their weapons as Miranda moved to help Oriana off the floor. “Did he hurt you? Are you alright?”

“It’s okay, Ori. You’re safe now,” Miranda soothed as she hugged her younger sister.

Kaidan preformed a medical scan on both of them from a distance as Oriana replied, “I’m fine. I just…I want to get out of here.”

As Miranda let go, she said, “We will. Just give me a minute, okay?”

Alenko said, “They both check out, Commander. Only minor injuries. No serious trauma.”

“Thanks, Kaidan,” Shepard said with gratitude as Miranda walked towards them.

“We’ll see if we can get anything out of this equipment,” Alenko replied as he moved to give the two former teammates some privacy.

As Shepard and Lawson compared notes, the Major helped Garrus hack the system while Vega patrolled, making sure nothing was left to surprise them. The Turian made his version of a frustrated growl. “There’s nothing left. The computers have been wiped clean of any useful data about the projects here or what the Illusive Man may have sent Leng after.”

“That figures,” Kaidan said as he looked over the alien’s shoulder. “Is there anything Reese and Traynor could use to help? _Anything_ at all?”

“Possibly the departures…Maybe Traynor could work her magic like she did to get us here…” Vakarian replied.

Alenko sighed. “That could give us something—"

“What’s our status? Any intel we can use from this place?” Shepard suddenly called from behind them.

Garrus looked to Kaidan and inclined his head towards the Sentinel. Alenko frowned and realized he would have to give the N7 the bad news. Sighing again, he reported, “Research data is gone, but some basic facility information is still intact. Shuttle arrivals and departures, Cerberus included. There are no direct links, but it’s a start.”

Shepard was visibly disappointed but said, “Grab anything you can off the computer. We’ll take it back to Reese and Traynor to be analyzed.”

Miranda called from across the room, “I can do better than that.”

“What?”

Shepard watched as she pulled out a small device from her pocket. “Before Kai Leng took off, I planted a tracer on him. If you act fast, you can track him right to the Illusive Man.”

“A trace?” Shepard asked as he took the device from her. “Sounds like you thought of everything.”

“Not quite, but nobody’s perfect,” she said.

“Thanks, Miranda. This is… _exactly_ what we needed,” Shepard replied with genuine gratitude. He handed the tracker to Alenko who nodded and moved back the console he had been at.

As the former Cerberus agent and N7 wrapped up their talk, Garrus motioned for Vega to punch a switch deactivating the communications jamming. A disembodied female voice confirmed the jamming had been disabled. As Miranda took Oriana out of the facility, Shepard said, “Let’s make sure everyone knows about this place.”

Miranda’s recorded warnings about the true nature of Sanctuary could be heard by everyone as the team radioed for pick up from the hell Cerberus had created.

~~~~~

"Say it…" Kaidan licked her collarbone.

"I… I love you, Kaidan…"

Reese gripped his hair almost painfully, while he bent over her chest, "Say it again…"

"I love you… Kaidan…" She panted as he took one hardened nipple into his mouth.

She bit her bottom lip, while her head fell back, moaning low as he nipped her.

She pulled at his short dark curls as he raised his face to stare at her, "Again…"

His whiskey eyes were darkened by lust, his breath heavy over her chin. "I love you, Kaid…"

He closed his eyes at her breathy words and crushed his lips on hers.

Reese had been surprised when Alenko had abruptly appeared in their quarters and quickly rendered her in her current state--her disheveled fatigues partially removed, her rear leaned flat against the door of their quarters, with the tongue of her fiancé tangled with hers, one of his hands between her thighs and the other on her breast.

"Kaidan…" She breathed between hungry kisses. "Are…Are you—"

The Major rested his forehead against hers and glanced at her concerned smile. "I love you, Kori,” was the L2’s response, realizing that he was worrying her.

His expression was so sweet, and full of affection, that a surge of tears overcame her, sensing how much those words were true. Eventually she managed to regain some sense of control as she refocused her attention on his belt, determined to free him from his pants. She fumbled, flustered with the button for a while. Sensing her impatience, he removed her hands to finish the work himself.

Alenko entered into her with one sure motion, a relieved groan escaped from his lips. That sound meant more than a thousand words, meant that he was finally home. He started to move slowly within her, their sights locked, mirroring each other's attraction, each other's desire, each other's affection. Reese rolled her hips to meet each of his thrusts, the pleasure overwhelming her, even if concerns about why he was acting this way after the Sanctuary mission echoed in her mind.

"I love you… so much…Kori…" He whispered once again, his gorgeous eyes never leaving hers while he pushed inside faster, harder. This time she couldn’t restrain herself anymore and began to cry silently.

Why would something so beautiful, something so perfect, something so _right_ … make her cry?

Seeing her tears, Kaidan halted his motions worried, "Hey… what's…"

"No… Don't stop… _please_ …" She begged him, whimpering, "I need you…" She surrounded his neck with her arms and his waist with her legs, drawing him closer. She kissed him eagerly, almost desperately, her muscles clenching on him, urging him on.

The Major moaned into her mouth as he did as she requested despite not understanding her tears. He only knew she had said she needed him as much as he needed her. The pleasure to be joined with her was too much to resist, so he withdrew a little and sunk back into her to resume his actions. He dug his head in the crook of her neck, and his hands moved to grab her bottom, lifting her from the door. Sustaining all her weight, his muscles tensed from the effort, as he quickened his punishing pace. The change of angle allowed him to plunge deeper within her, both of them struggling to not groan out loud delighted when he hit her sensitive spots.

"Kai… Kaidan…" Reese sobbed in his ear, unable to handle all her mixed feelings. "Please…”

Alenko braced her waist with his left arm, never stopping his demanding thrusts inside her, and he raised the other towards her face. His fingers caressed her cheek lovingly, while his thumb brushed her furrowed brow.

"Don't… cry…please…I came back," He murmured licking her salty tears. "I love… you…"

She opened her grey eyes wide and looked right into his whiskey orbs. It was her turn to plead. "Say it… again…"

"I… love… you…" The pressure built up almost unbearably as he repeated again, "I love… you… so much…"

The Lt. Commander pulled him closer in another scorching kiss, their tongues engaging in a new enthusiastic dance, leaving no inch of space between them. She wanted… no, she _needed_ to be one with him, to forget everything else but him. But unfortunately was not possible. They were too close to the end of their mission, too close to ending Cerberus and returning to Earth…

They reached unexpectedly the peak together. Their release so intense they both remained breathless for a while. The tears had finally stopped as she fell contently into Kaidan's arm. Though a part of her was also sad, the moments they had managed to steal during the past few months were so rare. She wished they would never end but the impending mission…And she suddenly understood his intense actions…

Suddenly Alenko's legs trembled for the strain and the weight, and they stumbled onto the floor, still panting.

"Oh my God… Kori! Is… is it…Are you all right?" He asked shocked as he regained control of his faculties. She nodded at him, and a comforted sweet smile appeared on his handsome face, as he eased a lock of sweaty hair stuck on her forehead behind her ear.

It amazed her the way he was always so caring, so attentive, on the battleground and during their private time as well…

"I love you." Reese stated brushing her lips over his, sensing him grinning.

"Say it again…" He whispered.

"I love you, Kaidan Alenko."

`````

Kaidan rolled over reaching for a warm body but found none. Immediately he bolted upright in the bed and quickly glanced around the room. He found Reese sitting at the desk staring at the computer blankly. She was dressed in one of his tee shirts, her hair disheveled from sleep. The Major softly called her name to which she did not respond. He frowned and rubbed his eyes. Something was definitely wrong.

He got up from their bed and moved to stand beside her. Glancing down he saw that the message was from Legacy. Confused, he put a hand on her shoulder lightly and asked, “Kori, what is it?”

She didn’t respond again, worrying him further. Alenko knelt down beside her and turned the chair around so she had to face him. The tech looked at him blankly as he placed his hands on top of hers in her lap. “Sweetheart, talk to me.”

After their frenzied love making session earlier, they had fallen asleep not discussing what had brought it on. Tomorrow they would assault the Illusive Man directly. Was that what seemed to have upset her? But what had Legacy said in the message that had brought it on at all?

The N7’s eyes darted from him back to the monitor. Kaidan moved one of her hand to his face as he tried to draw her back to him. “Kora, what is it? Please? Tell me. Let me help…”

“He’s gone,” she stated simply as she turned back to him.

“Legacy?” he asked.

“He said it was the only way to make sure the plan proceeded correctly. There is no margin for error he said,” she explained. Kaidan knew she considered the Geth Prime a friend. He could relate as he had come to count him as an ally.

“I’m sure he ran all the sims he could and was sure it was,” Alenko replied. “ _Trust_ him.”

“I do. I just don’t want anyone else to have to be sacrificed to end this…” she said softly.

Kaidan curled his fingers around her hand he held against his cheek. “I know…but it’s _his_ choice. We all have to make our own choices…especially now…”

He watched as she bit her lip. Continuing, he said, “We—you and I—chose to fight so others don’t have to. Legacy made the same choice. He has the knowledge and skills to do this. Just like you do. Have faith that he will succeed and survive. That we all will.”

“Kaidan…”

He rose up and kissed her gently. “Right here, sweetheart.”

She leaned her forehead against his as she whispered, “Why did you…Why were you so intense earlier?”

He chuckled softly as he put his other hand on her cheek. “I guess that was _unexpected_ …”

Reese cocked her head as he added more seriously, “I…I didn’t mean to scare you or make you cry…I just…after that last mission…seeing what people can do to other people for the sake of saving them…”

“Kaidan, I didn’t—" the tech began until she was cut off by an intense kiss from the Specter.

“Promise me you’ll be careful. That we will be okay after this is all over…” Kaidan pleaded as the emotions from earlier overcame him again. “I can’t lose you…”

The Sentinel suddenly bent his head down to lay on her lap. Reese watched his abrupt actions and caught the wince of pain before he buried his face in her legs. “Kaidan?” she said in a hushed tone recognizing the signs of an oncoming migraine.

He moaned as he held onto her tightly. Even though he wasn’t exactly light, Reese managed to get him up and over to their bed to lie down. Alenko still had his eyes screwed shut as he reached for her. “Kori…don’t go…make it go away…need you…”

“I—I’m right here,” she whispered as began to massage his temples as she had dozens of times before. Their heightened emotional states because of the impending missions had already taken a heavy toll on them. What would the mission itself bring?

Reese shook her head to clear away the dark thoughts. All that mattered at the moment was the man lying next to her. “I—cried because I was scared…of what it was that had you so upset…It turned out to be the same thing. I guess I can’t lose you either, techboy.”

“K—Kori, so close to the end…it…we have to survive—together,” Kaidan rasped out between the pulsating pain of his migraine.

“We will,” she assured him as she nuzzled his ear. “Now lie down and rest. I’ll be right here.”

“N—no…I need…” the Canadian whispered as he moved his hands to cradle her head at the base of her skull. He opened his eyes and gazed at her through the pain. She looked back at him; her expression full of concern. He pulled her down to his level and kissed her tenderly.

Reese pulled away as he let his hand trail down her torso to her waist. Even through his pain, she could see the longing in his eyes, the need for reassurance that everything he had been fighting for was still real and tangible. The logical part of her mind was telling her to make him go to sleep because they both needed to be at the top of their game for the mission tomorrow. But her heart was telling her to let him do whatever he needed to do to alleviate his fears and doubts. A voice told her it might even help her as well. Whenever it came to Kaidan, her heart usually won out.

As he pulled her on top of his chest, she leaned down and kissed his forehead. Trailing kisses down his hairline to his neck, she gasped as he moved one of hands under her shirt to squeeze her breast. “Kaid…are you sure…”

“More than ever, yes,” the Specter replied as he tugged her shirt over her head. “I need you.”

“I’m yours always and forever,” Reese replied meaning every word.


	27. Chapter 27

**_Sunday, December 31, 2186,_ **

Major Kaidan Alenko watched as his fiancée suited up in her SpecOps gear now emblazoned with the coveted N7 logo. He had been having an internal argument since before the Sanctuary mission. As a soldier, he knew that having Reese along on the mission to assault the Cerberus base was an advantage. She had experience with both the extremist pro-human group as well as the reaper tech that they were bound to run into. However, as the man that loved her, he counted limitless reasons—both logical and emotional. How could he knowing let her walk into what was surely going to be one hell of a fight to end Cerberus? Then again how could he not when they had wronged her as much as they had Shepard?

The Specter screwed his eyes shut and shook his head. Being cautious was one thing but prohibiting her from doing her job and limiting her was not the way to go. _And_ if he even attempted it, she would kick his ass.

“Is my armor that weird now or something?” the Lt. Commander asked as she buckled the rest of her leg armor in place.

Kaidan opened his eyes and cocked an eyebrow at her. “No. It's as it should be, but...”

“But?” she asked as she stood up again reaching for her weapons load out.

He narrowed his eyes and then moved to stand behind her. He was silent for a moment as he helped attach her guns to her armor. After collecting his thoughts, he said in a low tone, “Promise me you will be careful. The Illusive Man has to know you and your team are working on countermeasures by now...and with you going on their main base of operations...”

“I'm no more a target than the rest of the team,” she replied as the last weapon clicked into place. Turning to face him before he could protest, the Ops Officer smiled. “I promise I'll be careful. It seems I have a wedding to attend in the future.”

Kaidan found himself smiling in spite of the doubts and nervousness about the pending mission. “I may have heard something about that. I hear it’s between a really lucky guy and one beautiful, intelligent, brave woman.”

She hummed in agreement as she placed her gloved hands over his chest plate. “Yeah, well, that lucky guy is supposed to have a nice butt too.”

“A plus for the woman I guess...plus maybe a little biotic magic too?” he asked as he grazed his lips over hers.

“Yep,” she confirmed as she kissed him tenderly.

Kaidan pulled away as Shepard walked up by them with EDI and Cortez. “You'll have time for that later. We have to go kick TIM's ass right now.”

“Understood, sir,” Alenko replied with a two-fingered saluted still keeping an arm around Reese's waist.

The L3 biotic asked, “If the possibility to end TIM presents itself, do we have clearance to remedy that, sir?”

“That is an affirmative, LC,” the Commander replied without missing a beat.

“Aye, sir,” Reese said as Kaidan glanced between his fiancée and his friend.

Shepard noticed the action and asked, “Problem, Major?”

“Normally, I'd say yes, but since the Illusive Man is obviously crazy. No. Cases like this, I don't mind killing crazy,” the second human Specter answered seriously.

“Good. Then we are all on the same page,” the Commander said as he turned to EDI. “Aren't we?”

“My programming is reluctant to allow the taking of any sapient life,” she stated as she looked at Kaidan. “However, I agree with the Major. This will end.”

~~~~~

Approximately 13 minutes after the group agreed about the fate of the Illusive Man and his organization, they found themselves aboard the shuttle piloted by Cortez. Shepard took the co-pilot’s seat as EDI moved to monitor their approach from the terminal in the passenger compartment. Alenko checked his rifle as Reese closed the faceplate on her helmet. She still couldn’t get used to him using a rifle more now than a pistol. As for the L2, he was still finding it strange that she was SpecOps _and_ an N7.

Reese tilted her helmet at him, and he intuitively knew she was grinning at him. He shook his head as EDI called, “The hanger ahead is heavily shielded but provides the most direct access on this approach vector.”

“Ummm, that’s great info, EDI. But odds are we are going to be shot down getting there,” Cortez replied.

“Well, then make sure we get shot down _into_ the hanger bay,” Shepard stated seriously.

Lt. Cortez glanced sideways at his CO as Reese called over her suit’s comm, “Just pretend you’re Vega…”

“That is _not_ what I—" Cortez began as a shot rocked the shuttle.

“Looks like you don’t get a choice,” Kaidan called quietly as the ace pilot struggled to maintain control of the shuttle.

“Impact with hanger bay barrier in 20 seconds,” EDI called calmly from her station.

“Brace yourselves…” Cortez shouted. “…and _don’t_ tell Vega about this…”

Alenko and Reese held onto their seats as the Lt. held the controls steady. As he lined up their shuttle with the hanger door as best he could, a stray or lucky shot pushed the nose off just a hair. It was enough to send the ship careening sideways through the barrier, skidding across the hanger floor into some crash barriers.

“Everyone okay?” Shepard called as he quickly looked around.

“Yeah,” Kaidan replied from the passenger compartment as Cortez nodded his agreement.

“Good,” the Commander said as he turned to the pilot. “Steve, stay here and fix this bird. Make it flight ready by the time we get back. Radio us if you need anything. We can probably scavenge parts along the way if need be.”

“Aye, sir,” he said running diagnostic.

“EDI, you’re with me,” Shepard said as he entered the passenger compartment. “Alenko. Reese. Support and cover fire.”

“Understood,” the Major said as Reese nodded.

Shepard exited the shuttle followed quickly by EDI. Alenko activated his own barrier as he caught Reese by the arm. “Let me see you on my HUD display when you go dark. It’s safe to do that now right?”

“Yeah,” she said as she activated her tactical cloak. “Legacy fixed it without me asking. Said he was keeping a promise to the Major.”

“We have…an _understanding_ when it comes to you,” the L2 admitted as her signal only he could see lit up the HUD in his helmet.

“I figured as much,” she said as she exited the shuttle. “Ashley would have a cow if she knew you were asking a flashlight head to help protect your girl.”

“She’d flip if she knew those same flashlight heads were helping to save the galaxy,” Kaidan added as they both took up cover fire positions for EDI and Shepard.

Reese was quiet as she activated the scope on her sniper rifle. “She should be here…”

“She should…but she’s not…” Kaidan said as softly.

“For Ash?”

“For Ash.”

~~~~~

“Security breach in Hanger 16. Initiating Achilles Protocol,” a female voice announced over the comm system.

“Shepard, Cerberus intends to vent the hanger bay,” EDI explained over the radio as the Commander took down another mech.

“Fun,” Kaidan commented quietly as he used a biotic push to clear the way towards the corridor leading to the internal part of the station.

The N7 ignored him and asked, “Can you stop it?”

“I need an active console,” the AI replied. “Try an upper level.”

Reese fired off some rounds in the direction Kaidan had started to clear. “I’m reading one 50 meters from that access point and a hoard of Cerberus troops.”

“Never said this was going to be easy, LC,” Shepard commented as he lead the way to the ladder.

As the squad rushed to the access point, the same female VI voice said, “Hanger 16 secure. Engaging Achilles Protocol.”

“We know. We know,” Reese grumbled as she brought up the rear of the group. “EDI, please tell me it won’t take long…”

“Approximately 3.62 seconds, Lt. Commander,” the ex-Cerberus AI replied.

“Good to know, but better if it were being done,” Alenko observed as he motioned for Reese to take up a position beside him.

“Console acquired,” EDI stated as she manipulated the controls on the console with quick efficient strokes.

“Hanger vent procedure… _disabled_.”

“Can you open the hanger?” Shepard said as he checked his weapon.

EDI looked over the available actions as she replied, “No. However…I can access their fighter launch controls. “

Suddenly a Cerberus fighter rose from the hanger floor to everyone’s surprise. In the same moment, she added, “Shepard, Cerberus is aware that the venting attempt failed. Reinforcements are inbound.”

Reese went dark again as Alenko threw up his barrier. Shepard took point as EDI activated her decoy mode. The security door opened to their left and the Commander said with enthusiasm, “More practice until we get to TIM.”

~~~~~

After battling another squad of Cerberus troopers, Reese hacking into a couple of Atlases, and EDI securing their way through the hanger to the central lab by launching a fighter at the hanger doors, Shepard’s team were well on their way to recovering the Prothean VI and stopping the Illusive Man. Reese brought up the rear as EDI hacked door after door allowing them access as though the doors were already open. Kaidan watched his former CO and friend carefully. One of the terminals they had found had not been scrubbed completely and had some files let on it from the Lazarus Project. On it, the Commander had learned some things about his recovery that were less than pleasant.

As they moved through the access tunnels, Kaidan switched to a private channel. “John, are you okay?”

Shepard clicked in and replied, “We finally fine the main Cerberus base, are about to get the info back on the Catalyst, and kick TIM back to hell and you ask me if I’m okay?”

“Well, yeah. You more than anyone has felt the pressure of this mission and you did just find out some stuff about those missing 2 years…” Alenko replied as he checked to make sure Reese was still behind them and not on one of her solo scouting missions. She was still cloaked but read 3 meters directly behind him.

“You pick the damnest time to check on people don’t you?” The other Specter commented.

“My timing has never been that good. Just ask Reese,” Kaidan replied with a light tone.

Shepard cocked his head toward his friend. “I…really thought I was on life support not… _dead_. And I don’t really believe I’m an advanced VI or a damned clone. I’m the _real_ deal. And I’m here now because TIM brought me back. I’m going to make sure that is a mistake he regrets to his grave.”

Satisfied with the Commander’s answer, Kaidan said, “I’m with you there, Shep…but if you want to ever see what a Shepard VI looks like Reese bought a copy of the one from the Citadel…It can predict what you would with 7% accuracy.”

“Major, if you didn’t outrank me…” the first human Specter replied with a hint of humor in his voice.

“Aye, sir,” Alenko said as EDI hacked another door in a lab.

“Shepard,” the AI called as she did so. “The neighboring terminal has information on it you may find interesting.”

Kaidan covered EDI as Reese moved around the room looking for anything they could use to fight the Reapers. When Shepard was finished with the terminal he looked to EDI and said, “You’ve come a long way, EDI. And I owe you… _a lot_.”

“You have helped me grow as an individual and allowed me to experience life…We are even I believe is what Jeff would say,” she replied with a smile.

He nodded as Reese let out a whistle. EDI turned and asked, “Did you find what you are looking for?”

“Oddly enough yes…This combined with the information Miranda Lawson recovered at Sanctuary, I might be able to augment the plan to be more efficient…A refined dispersal rate would allow greater control…We could fine tune the signal and possibly integrate it with the energy the Crucible emits…It would hit everything at once…The power issue still needs to be resolved…”

Shepard glanced at Kaidan who just held up a hand. “She does that…Better to just let her.”

“Ooookaaayy,” the Commander replied as he motioned for EDI to continue leading the way.

“Because of the information recovered from the Leviathan, Reese has been able to hypothesize how the Crucible may work. Confirmation from the Prothean VI would assist in this,” EDI explained.

“How sure are you of the LC’s plan?” Shepard asked

“I would bet my life on it,” the AI said as she led the way deeper into the station.

~~~~~

“What the hell is that?” Kaidan asked as he looked up to a huge metal framework holding a large… _something_.

“It is the proto-Reaper from the Collector base,” EDI replied as she walked ahead of them.

Shepard stopped and looked at it. “What’s left of it. I’m surprised Cerberus recovered that much of it.”

Softly Kaidan said, “I wish I could have been there.”

“You’re here _now_ ,” the Commander commented.

“Damn straight,” the second human specter agreed as Reese started taking readings of the would-be Reaper.

EDI interjected, “Cerberus is actively using the surviving pieces. The central core—analogous to the heart—is largely intact. I believe Cerberus is using it for a power core.”

“EDI’s right. The energy readings coming from this thing are off the charts. I’d bet it’s powering this whole station and then some,” Reese added as she collected as much data as possible.

“Probably but we don’t have time to sight see, LC,” the Commander reminded.

“Ummm, about that…We have Cerberus forces inbound from the upper levels!” Kaidan yelled as they took up cover positions.

“Phantoms are in bound,” EDI added.

“On it,” Reese called as she cloaked.

“Nothing is ever easy,” Shepard muttered over the comm.

“You’d be bored if it were,” Kaidan replied as they once again battled their way to the central core.

~~~~~

“Kaidan, I’ve got a bad feeling about this,” Reese said as they exited the proto-Reaper Chamber and entered a long corridor with computer terminals.

“Yeah, with all the resistance we’ve run into you’d think there’d be even more here…” Alenko agreed not liking the lull in battle.

“I believe The Illusive Man may have developed counter-measures for this very instance,” EDI replied as she scanned various consoles.

“Doesn’t matter. We’re here and so is the data. We get it and get out. Understood?” Shepard called over his shoulder as they neared the final door.

“Understood,” Alenko and Reese said in unison.

“EDI?”

“One moment, Shepard. I believe I have uncovered more data about the ‘upgrade’ of Cerberus shock troops with Reaper tech,” the AI replied as she forwarded the data to Reese.

“So they were having issues maintaining control of them…” the Lt. Commander observed as she glanced over it quickly. “What if we could use that to—"

“Later, Reese. The Prothean VI is priority one,” Shepard snapped as they stood in front of the door. “Okay. This is it. Stay sharp everyone.”

*****

**_Sunday December 31, 2186, SSV Normandy SR2_ **

“You remember our first run to Eden Prime all those years ago with that Turian Specter watching us?” Joker asked as Shepard walked up behind the pilot after talking to Anderson and Hackett.

“Nihilus,” Shepard replied as he came to a stop behind him the pilot’s chair.

“Yeah. I told you that mission was going to be bigger than we thought,” Joker said as he sat a glass of water down.

_“The Catalyst enhances dark energy transmissions and coordinates the entire mass relay network. In your cycle it is known as the Citadel.”_

“I think you can mark that prediction down as accurate,” the Commander conceded.

_“The Catalyst is the Citadel.”_

“And now we’re heading back to Earth,” the smart-ass Flight Lt. replied.

_“It was feared that if the Reapers where aware of the Catalyst’s intended use, they would retake control of it. I am programmed to withhold that information until the Crucible is complete.”_

“Is this mission going to be bigger than we thought, too?” the N7 asked genuinely curious.

_“The one who broke through my security protocols, the one you call The Illusive Man, has fled to the Citadel and informed the Reapers of our purposes.”_

“Man, I hope not,” Joker replied. “A nice routine delivery run would be fine with me.”

_“The Citadel has been moved to the Reaper -controlled space. To the system you refer to as Sol.”_

In a quieter tone, he added, “It’s been an honor, Commander.”

“Same here, Joker,” the Specter said as he moved to stand beside the pilot. “I don’t know how it’s going to end, but whatever happens…”

_“The Reaper forces will now consolidate power around the Catalyst and protect it at all costs. The odds of accessing it are remote.”_

“What do you mean whatever happens?” Monroe interrupted. “Everyone knows what’s going to happen.”

He turned around in his chair to look directly at the Commander. “You’re going to kick some Reaper ass. That’s what you do. And I’ll be flying you there in style.”

_“I hope you find success.”_

Commander Shepard looked out the windows of the cockpit as he nodded in agreement. It was the only option. Beat the Reapers so everyone could live…

He turned from the pilot as the conversations with the Prothean VI still rang in his head. They had had the damned Catalyst all along. It was the center of the relay system after all. He had some of the smartest people working with him. He even had an unshackled AI who was dating his pilot and still not a one of them had thought of it as a possibility. All they had been able to come up with was it must have been some sort of enormous power source…

“Commander?” a voice called from the air lock. He almost ignored it until he saw who it was.

“ _Reese_? What are you doing hiding in the airlock?” the Specter asked.

“I…I’m sorry we didn’t figure it out…We— _I_ should have. It’s obvious. All the relays go back to the Citadel. If I had spared the time to look over the specs more instead of trying to come up with some off the wall plan…”

“ _Stop_ it, Lt. Commander. You aren’t the only one who missed it. And we are going to make this work,” the Commander said firmly.

“But, sir, I don’t know if I can make it work now…”

“Legacy went ahead to have the modifications made to the Crucible. Anything else you were going to add or change can be sent to the fleet via tight beam transmission. The Geth can do that quickly. Have one of them meet up with us and transmit whatever it was that you were mumbling about on Cronus Station. I want that plan in place and ready to be implemented when the time is right,” Shepard ordered as he started to walk back towards the CIC.

“You trust my wacked out plan?” she asked as she followed him.

“Hell, yeah. Plus you come highly recommended,” he answered as he glanced at her. “EDI says she’d bet her life on it.”

Reese tried not to look surprised but utterly failed. The AI’s voice came over the comm. “I believe there is also a counter measure Reese has developed to interfere with ground Reaper forces. It has not been tested but the simulations suggest that it would be able to be sent from soldiers’ omni-tools and interfere with Reaper signal within a small radius of them.”

“Well, why are you following me around like a lost puppy, LC? Get to it,” Shepard ordered.

She saluted. “Yes, sir.”

As Reese hurried down the ramp, EDI commented, “The Lt. Commander seems to take things onto herself she is not responsible for.”

“Yeah…” Shepard agreed.

“As do you,” the AI said. “But you are not alone in this fight. And as Jeff said, you’re going to kick some Reaper ass.”

The N7 cocked his head towards the comm speaker overhead. “You’re smiling aren’t you?”

“Yes.”

*****

**_Monday, January 1, 2187, SSV Normandy SR2_ **

“Kori, why did EDI inform me that she is concerned about your well-being and mental stability?” Kaidan asked over the comm as he walked through the corridors on the crew deck. “And this was brought on by the fact you’ve been using your tactical cloak to roam the ship for the past two hours between decks 2 and 3?”

“I’m sure she was joking,” Reese said over their private comm channel.

“Look, I know Shepard told you to finish your pet project and get it sent to the Fleet ASAP, but EDI doesn’t joke…at least not like that,” the Major said as he entered the elevator.

“I in fact do joke, Major Alenko,” EDI said through the elevator’s comm. “However, this behavior of a friend is not something I would attempt to make a humorous remark about.”

“Kora Reese! What are you doing?” the Specter demanded as he arrived in the CIC.

“Working in peace,” she said as she turned the comm off.

Kaidan rolled his eyes as he headed for the briefing room for the final assault. Admiral Hackett was set to rendezvous with them in less than an hour. “She hung up on me. Ouch.”

Odds were she was right where she could interface with the Geth quickly. War Room. Heading that way, he passed Shepard and several others who were already in the briefing room. “Kaidan, where are you going? We’re about to start.”

“Going to collect your wayward XO,” he said motioning to the War Room.

“We haven’t seen her go that way…” the Commander said.

“Yep,” was all the Major said.

Leaving them confused, Kaidan simply walked into the War Room and _felt_ for Reese’s biotics. He was reasonably sure he looked half crazy to the crewmen at their stations, but he didn’t care. Per his assumption, he felt a presence of remarkably familiar biotic energy by one of the terminals used for transmitting data.

“I know you’re there.”

Nothing.

“The briefing is going to start like _now_. So quit being cute.”

Still nothing.

“ _Fine_ ,” he said as he activated his omni-tool and sent a small electrical shock into the air in front of him. Suddenly, the Lt. Commander’s form shimmered to life. She glared at him as he said, “You may be the ops officer but I’m still a damn good tech.”

“Riiight,” the XO said as she linked her omni-tool with the terminal. “It’s as good as I can make it.”

“It’s good enough,” he said simply.

“But we didn’t get to test it… _either_ one of them,” she protested.

“EDI and Traynor ran sims. As many as they could. So did Tali. And I may have helped a little too,” he assured her as he pulled her towards the War Room.

“I…guess you’re right,” she said reluctantly as she hit the send button.

“Oh wow. You admitted I’m right,” Kaidan said sardonically. “But you still owe me for making me look like an idiot in front of the crew again.”

“Awww, you’re such an adorable idiot though,” she cooed as she followed him.

“What happened to respecting your superior officers?”

“That went out the window when you asked me to marry you…plus you’re on the Normandy…”

“Point taken. Now why don’t we go find out exactly _how_ we are going to beat the Reapers and go home.”


	28. Chapter 28

**_Monday, January 1, 2186, SSV Normandy SR2_ **

“You want me to _what_!?” Reese practically yelled in the captain’s cabin.

“Take care of my ship,” Shepard said simply as he looked at her intently. “Coordinate with EDI and Traynor for the attack. Make sure you and Legacy are ready when the time is right.”

“You _can’t_ leave me on the Normandy. Joker and EDI can handle it,” she protested.

“I can’t take everyone groundside. You are needed _here_. _I_ need you here,” the Specter tried to explain.

Kaidan took a step towards her, having known what the meeting was going to be about beforehand. “Kori, you know more about the Crucible and the Catalyst. You came up with the plan to change how it’s dispersed…so we can try to save everyone…”

“ _No_ , don’t you dare feed me that line of bullshit! You just don’t want me down there in the thick of things—"

“You aren’t any safer up here, Kori! There are Reapers, the ships! Not ground forces. Don’t think for one minute I’m trying to keep you out of the fight. If it were up to me, you’d be on some backwater world I’ve never even heard of to keep you safe,” Alenko said forcibly as he shook her.

“But that’s not an option, LC. I need you here…” added Shepard. “And so does EDI.”

“What?” Reese asked confused but still mad as hell.

“She has asked that you remain aboard to help her…in case something goes sideways…you and Traynor can compensate…”

“Sideways? What does she think—"

“In the event I am rendered… _inoperable_ …I would like someone I trust, a friend, to finish what we have started…” EDI’s voice came over the comm.

“I thought you trusted the modifications we made…”

“I do. But I find myself consumed with what ifs…and I wish to make sure there is a plan in place in case…” the AI admitted.

“You are afraid for the crew?” Kaidan asked as he still held Reese by the shoulders.

“I do not wish harm to come to them because something happened to me,” she stated. “They are my crew, my friends, my family.”

Shepard looked at Reese. “There you have it. Your friend is asking for your help.”

“Fine. I don’t like it, but I’ll do it,” the Lt. Commander finely said. “But you two had better come back.”

“Yeah. Yeah. I know or you’ll kick my ass,” Shepard said.

Reese stood in front of her CO with her hands on her hips. Kaidan took a step back. “I think she means it, Shep.”

“So do I,” the N7 said. “Now let’s go home.”

*****

**_Tuesday, January 2, 2186, SSV Normandy SR2_ **

“Kaidan…” her voice was so soft the Specter could barely hear it. She met his eyes and tried not to fall apart. She was scared.

Very calmly he motioned for her to follow him over behind some crates in the corner. The same crates they had gone to when they had left Earth for Mars. As soon as they were out of sight of the others, Kaidan took her in her arms and lifted her off the deck plates. He buried his head in her shoulder and whispered, “We’re not gonna loose this, Kori.”

“I know…I just…,” she replied wrapping her arms around his neck tightly.

“It’s okay. We’re going to be okay,” he said pulling back enough to look into her grey eyes. She nodded as he saw unshed tears in her eyes. “We going to beat those bastards, and we are taking back Earth. You have to believe that.”

“I do,” she replied.

“Then why are you crying?”

“We…we supposed to get married…It’s selfish…”

Suddenly she felt his lips crush into hers with such force and passion that she felt the breath knocked out of her. He pushed without asking entrance making her let his tongue in to perform a joust she had felt more often as they had approached the last battle with the Reapers. She let him do what he needed to because she realized it was what she needed as well. Grabbing at his shirt she restrained herself as much as she could, but she wanted so much more.

Finally, reluctantly he pulled away. “I need to suit up.”

“I know. Just—"

“I’ll come back to you. I will. I swear.”

“Kaidan…”

“I _will_ , Kori. _Believe_ that.”

“You’d better, Alenko. Or I’m gonna be pissed,” Reese said as she ran a hand through his hair.

“Understood, Lt. Commander,” he said with half a grin as he cupped her cheek.

“Be safe,” she whispered as he let go of her and started to walk toward the lockers.

He nodded as Shepard called, “Five minutes, Alenko.”

“Understood,” the Major replied as he rounded the crates.

Suddenly Reese walked after him and called, “Hey, Kaidan?”

“Yeah?” he said turning back to her.

“Remember the upgrade to your omni-tool. It’s got a limited range but--” she replied as she threw something at him.

He gave her a faint smile. “Everything helps.”

“I thought since you’re more familiar with my mods you could test it…”

Kaidan smiled and said, “That’s my girl.”

She blushed as he slowly turned back to the waiting ground team.

“Don’t worry, Mako. We’ll bring Grease back in one piece,” the Lt. Vega called after her.

Reese couldn’t help but smile. “Thanks, Muscles, but I expect _everyone_ to come back.”

As the ground team began boarding the shuttle, Shepard threw over his shoulder, “Reese, my ship better be—"

“In one piece when you get back,” the XO finished for him. “I think I can remember that, sir.”

He nodded as he began closing the shuttle door as she said in a softer tone, “Kick some Reaper ass, John.”

The first human Specter looked at her with a knowing grin as the doors slid shut. It was the first time she had ever addressed him by his first name. Reese only hoped it wasn’t the last.

~~~~~

Lt. Cmdr. Kora Reese stood behind Joker in the cockpit as the Normandy left the airspace over London and returned back to the space battle above the Earth. The Hammer teams were supposed to clear a path to take out some Hades cannons and then they were supposed to make their way to the beam the Reapers were using to transport humans to the Citadel.

It was going to be easy. Sure just walk up to the big freaking Reaper guarding the beam and ask to use it. _Right_.

Reese didn’t like it one damned bit. The Citadel wasn’t supposed to have been taken to Earth and the Illusive Man wasn’t supposed to have informed the Reapers of what the Catalyst was. But there was no use in crying over spilled milk. The Commander certainly wasn’t, and neither was Kaidan…

“Damn it, I should be down there,” Reese muttered under her breath as she looked at the readings coming in on the ops station behind EDI’s chair.

“Don’t think you’re the only one who thinks that,” Joker said as he piloted the ship out of the way of Reaper weapons fire. “We _all_ want to be down there groundside with him. But he needs us up here watching his ass too.”

“Yeah, I know,” the Lt. Commander replied as she went over the final checks for their backup plan. Legacy was already in place and awaiting the order from either her or Shepard.

“The ground team will be successful,” EDI’s voice filtered over the comm. “There is no alternative that I find acceptable.’

“See? Even the unshackled AI thinks Shepard’s going to kick Reaper ass,” the pilot called over his shoulder.

“I want to believe that, Joker. I really do,” Reese replied as she sent a message to Traynor to send any reports on their second project directly to her omni-tool.

“Well, if what EDI told me was right, then your little Reaper Control interrupter thingy will be a big help on the ground,” Joker said as he piloted them through both the Reaper fleet and their own. “It’s just a shame it couldn’t work on the big boys.”

“I didn’t have enough time…There just _wasn’t_ enough time to do it…” the Lt. Commander said regretfully as she stood up.

“Hey, Reese? Don’t beat yourself up over it. You’ve given the Commander and the fleet more than they had before,” the Flight Lt. said as he glanced at her.

“I just hope it’s enough…”

“It will be. It’s Commander Freaking Shepard we’re talking about here. The Reapers are done. They just don’t know it.”

~~~~~

“This was not the brightest idea we’ve ever had,” Kaidan said as they fended off another hoard of Reaper troops.

“No one said it was going to be easy,” Garrus retorted as he sniper a Marauder.

“Liara, get on the comm with EDI,” Shepard ordered. “We need the targeting system for these missiles back on-line ASAP.”

“Alenko, see if your girlfriend’s mod works,” the N7 yelled as he took up a cover fire position.

“Aye,” the Major said as he opened his omni-tool and brought the application on-line. “Signal being broadcast…now.”

_Come on, Kori. Please let this work…_

~~~~~

“Lt. Commander! We have real time data coming in from the ground team. EDI is requesting the Normandy be repositioned to aid in launching the missiles, and Major Alenko is broadcasting the interrupt signal,” Traynor called from her station.

“Joker! You heard her…” the Ops Officer said as she stood above the galaxy map monitoring their progress in the space battle.

“On it,” he replied simply.

“What’s the data say, Sam?” Reese asked as she realized how close the ground team was to a damn Reaper. How many were on Earth between them and the beam anyway?

“It’s… _working_ , Commander. The command signal from the Reaper is being actively blocked by the feedback…Major Alenko is reporting the Reaper ground forces are in disarray,” the Specialist said with a grin. “You did it, Reese.”

“Thanks. But don’t get excited yet. They still have to take out those cannons…” N7 said as she listened to the chatter between EDI and the ground team.

“Aye, ma’am,” the other woman replied. “It looks as if it has a radius of 10 meters max. I think something interferes with the interrupt signal on the surface, but so far it works.”

Reese nodded as she looked at the map. Some of the Reaper fleet was moving…

“Both cannons have been destroyed,” Traynor reported as a signal came in from Ad. Hackett.

“Lt. Commander Reese, I have field reports saying the omni-tool mods you came up with are working,” his voice said.

“Yes, sir. It initially appears that way…” Reese said still looking at the Reapers moving away from the battle.

“Good. I know you’d like more tests but I’m giving the order for all squads outfitted with the mod to use them. We have to get a team to that beam. The arms _have_ to open,” the Admiral said.

“I understand, Admiral. The Normandy will do what we can to help with that, but currently I believe several Reapers have broken away to either pursue the Crucible or engage the ground team,” she said worriedly.

“We see them. Lt. Commander. Make sure your plan is ready to go when the word is given. Hackett out.”

“Aye, sir,” she said softly. Taking a deep breath, she asked, “Sam, did all the Geth and the Quarians confirm that the modified code has been downloaded and integrated?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“EDI? What about you? You good to go when the time comes?”

“Of course, Reese,” the AI said with confidence. “And Lt. Commander? Thank you for all your efforts.”

“You’re welcome, EDI.”

_Come on, Kaidan. All my effort wasn’t just for EDI. Come back to me._

~~~~~

“You want us to run into _that_?” Garrus asked as he pointed over the ridge to the open area in front of the beam.

“The beam or the big ass Reaper guarding it?” Kaidan asked with no hint of humor.

“I meant the beam but…” the Turian sniper said trailing off.

“There must be another way…” Liara said hopefully as she glanced as Shepard.

“There isn’t. Hackett is reporting a group of Sovereign class ships heading this way,” Ad. Anderson answered as he turned to his former XO. “We’re out of time.”

Shepard looked at his squad and then at the beam. “Then we take the forces we have and make a run for it.”

“But Shepard…” Liara protested as she placed a hand on his arm.

“Liara, we didn’t come this far to stop now. Everyone is counting on us. We have to do this, or the cycle continues and we all die,” the Specter replied firmly.

“Ok, then we go—together,” Kaidan said as he reloaded his weapon.

“Just like old times…” Garrus agreed as he stood beside Alenko.

“It’s now or never, Shepard,” Anderson commented.

“It’s been an honor,” the N7 said as he looked at his friends. “Now let’s kick these Reapers back to the hell they came from.”

~~~~~

Reese had ordered the Normandy to maintain as safe a position in relation to the beam if as possible. If it hadn’t been for Joker’s incredible piloting skills, they’d have been toast long ago. Something had told the Lt. Commander to hang tight until the last possible minute. If the Reapers saw the SR2 heading for the Citadel too early they might get wind of the plan Reese and her team hoped worked. Aside from that official reason, she had wanted to provide as much support for the ground team as possible.

Unfortunately getting a call from Commander Shepard for immediate evac was not what she had in mind.

“Normandy? Do you copy? I need an evac. Right now!”

“We’re taking heavy losses up here, Commander,” Joker replied automatically.

“Get us down there, Joker!” Reese yelled as she held onto the railing on the galaxy map platform with a death grip. _Please be okay…please_

Without acknowledging her order, Joker banked the ship back around to the beam site. “On our way, Commander.”

Reese attempted to maintain her composure as she said, “Sam, keep an eye out for Reaper’s targeting us! Adams, make sure we have everything available to break obit as soon as they are aboard! EDI, does Dr. Chakwas need any extra hands in medbay?”

“Unknown at this time,” the AI replied, “But there are officers on standby if necessary.”

“Thanks,” Reese said refusing to ask who needed evacing.

“I will keep you apprised of the situation, Lt. Commander, as soon as I know anything,” EDI promised.

“OK,” Reese said trying to distract herself by noting how close the ground team had gotten to the beam _. Almost there… Almost show time…_

~~~~~

“ _Shepard!!!_ ” Kaidan yelled as Garrus helped him up the ramp to the shuttle bay.

“You all have to get out of here,” the Commander said as he forced Liara to follow the other two.

“No, I _won’t_ go! I can still fight,” the Asari protested.

“No, you’re hurt. All of you are,” the Commander said looking at Alenko with a broken leg and possibly broken ribs and Garrus with shrapnel embedded in his armor.

He turned back to Liara who held her arm across her stomach, more than likely broken. “You have to get out of here. The Normandy is a sitting duck.”

“ _No!_ ,” Liara said softly. “I won’t leave you again.”

Shepard walked up the ramp back to her and cupped her cheek. “No matter what happens know that I love you always.”

She placed a hand over his and said, “I love you too. _Please_ be careful.”

“I will,” he promised as he kissed her cheek. In a voice meant only for her, he added, “You never left me.”

He pulled away and nodded to the others. “Now get the hell out of here.”

Shepard ran down the ramp as Garrus used her free arm to keep Liara from running after him. Refusing to looks back, the Commander said into his comm, “Reese, get my ship out of here. _Now!”_

“Aye, sir,” her voice said through the static. “And Shepard, kick some ass.”

“Working on it, LC,” he replied looking at the beam as the ship flew away. “Take care of…everyone.”

“I will…until you get back, sir.”

“Understood.”

The first human Specter took a breath and started running.

~~~~~

“Ma’am, we have conformation that two made it the Citadel. We are working to ascertain who,” Traynor called from her station.

“ _Finally_ ,” Reese said under her breath as EDI conferred with Joker. The Lt. Commander opened a comm to the Alliance flag ship. “Ad. Hackett, we can confirm two made it on to the Citadel. We are working on determining exactly who. Communications with them are currently down. If that remains the case, I can only recommend beginning plan B when the arms open. There is a risk if the Crucible does not immediately fire that the Reapers will be able to counteract—"

“This mission has been fraught with risks. We have no choice. Shepard trusted you with this. Now see it through. Hackett out,” the Admiral said as he cut the comm.

“Yes, sir,” she said to herself again. Legacy was in position, but they had lost connect as soon as the arms had closed on the Citadel. She only hoped the Geth would be able to improvise if radio communication were not re-established soon.

“Reese,” EDI voiced called, breaking her concentration.

“Yeah,” she replied trying to figure out how close the Normandy could get the Citadel without being blown out of the sky.

“The ground team has reported to medbay. Dr. Chakwas is examining them now,” the AI reported. “Liara has suffered a broken arm. Garrus has minor abrasions and shrapnel. Major Alenko has suffered a broken leg, broken and bruised ribs and possibly a concussion.”

“Thanks, EDI.”

“The Major requests that I tell you he is okay and for you to keep watching Shepard’s six.”

Reese stifled a laugh as she sent Joker a message suggesting how far to get from the Citadel. “Tell him I will, but I’d rather be watching his six on a beach later.”

“Kora, he is alive and relatively well. I believe Shepard will succeed—"

“EDI, what is it?” she asked noting her abrupt pause.

“The command signal to open the arms has been given. Incoming transmission from Legacy.”

“Reese-Commander, I am in position. I have tracked two human life signals. I believe one to be Anderson-Admiral and the second Shepard-Commander. I am currently with the former and have stabilized his condition. The latter is currently out of range…”

“Legacy?” Reese said as static overcame the comm. “Damn it! Traynor, try getting him back. I don’t want to do this blind.”

“On it, ma’am,” the specialist replied.

“Reese, we must begin sending the final data stream to the Crucible. If it fires before the completed download…” EDI interjected as Reese weighed her options. They had kept the last bit of the modified data on the Normandy incase the Crucible fell completely into enemy hands. Without it, the rest of the data was useless and appeared to be nothing but old abandoned code.

“…begin transmission of data…catalyst is AI…must complete download…Shepard-Commander is interfacing with…choices not acceptable… _all_ must survive…”

The Lt. Commander listened to the broken comm message from Legacy and knew they were out of time. “EDI send the last data pack to the Crucible now.”

“Data transfer commencing…Completion in 63 seconds,” the ex-Cerberus AI reported.

Reese breathed a sigh of relief. “ _Good_. Traynor, how are we on establishing a clearer comm with—“

“Data transfer halted…Reaper signal being beamed into my communications hub…” EDI said in a labored voice. “Rerouting Crucible data to secondary systems…”

“Sam, find where that signal is coming from and then have it blown out of the sky,” Reese said hurriedly as she watched the progress of the data and the attack on EDI’s systems.

“Reaper signal attempting to enter higher functions…”

“Can you isolate it?”

“Attempting…data transfer complete…”

“EDI?”

“Signal is a viral attack…counter-measures holding…”

“Sam?”

“Almost have it.”

“Engaging secondary protocols…feedback from Reaper vessel is…”

“Ma’am, there is a fire in one of the maintenance tubes near the AI core…Oh god, it’s in EDI central processing network!”

“Engage the fire safeties!”

“The feedback from the Reaper is frying our systems. They will not respond.”

“Damn it!” Reese yelled as she jumped off the platform and rushed to the elevator.

“It will not respond, Reese. I am having to reroute power to keep other priority systems on line,” EDI replied.

Reese growled as ran to the war room to the maintenance hatch. Over the comm, she said, “Traynor, use the feedback to trace where that fucking Reaper is and then blow the damned thing up.”

The Lt. Commander crawled through the duct work that she had become so familiar with during the retro fit and was immensely grateful she were not afraid of enclosed space. As she made her way across the ship to deck 3, she smelled burning wiring and ozone. If she couldn’t get the fire suppression systems back on line or at least put out the fire, EDI would be a goner. Even the reinforced casing of her servers would give out from prolonged heat.

Finally she came to the wall that backed the AI core. She could feel the heat but could not locate the fire its self. Scanning with her omni-tool, she looked for the short that had resulted from the feedback.

“The fire has reached my central core…I am unable to…” an explosion suddenly rocked the ship. “The Reaper has been destroyed. Mass effect field are becoming unstable…Manual overrides will need to be engaged.”

“EDI, wait. Where is the short? I can’t find it. My tool is giving me weird readings,” Reese said.

“There is no way to repair it without significant risk,” the AI said.

“Risk?” the Lt. Commander echoed as she suddenly had an idea. “EDI, are you messing with my omni-tool readings?”

There was a pause. “Yes.”

“Well, stop, so I can fix the damned thing and save you.”

“No, that is not advisable. The fire is spreading at an exponential rate…Reaper forces are converging on the Crucible…”

“I don’t care. I’m in command, and I’m ordering you to let me fix it. Short of that, I’m your friend and you asked me to stay on the Normandy to help you so let me help you!”

“Interference terminated. The fire will breach the bulkhead in less than 2 minutes. The system malfunction is in the panel directly to your right. However, power to the fire suppression system can be rerouted by the access panel in the floor to your left…”

“But?”

“The fire has already breach that section. Extreme heat is present…”

“Ha! As Shepard said, no one said this was going to be easy. Besides how is it going to look if I don’t take care of his ship?”

“Reese…”

“Opening the hatching,” she said as she activated her omni-tool’s repair functions. Heat and flames flew up out of the hatch almost instantly. Undeterred, the tech quickly located the power cables and proceeded to rewire them. All the while, she was having to avoid flames that shot up between the grating below. Knowing she was at least going to have first degree burns, she continued with the process until EDI said, “The Crucible readying to fire.”

“About damned time,” she muttered as her hair fell out of its top knot she had thrown it in. “Shit. Of all the times…”

“Jeff will not leave the…” EDI said. “Legacy reports the packages are away. We are entering FTL. Crucible shockwave impact in 3…2…1.”

Suddenly Reese was thrown forward into the exposed hatch, automatically throwing out her hands to catch herself on the superheated grating. She screamed in pain as she scrambled to sit up right. Through the blinding pain, she saw she had one connection left. Jamming the connectors together, she felt the wiring cut through her almost raw hands. As the systems restarted, a small explosion in the lower maintenance area blew up through the hatch. Reese threw up her arms in front of her face. She screamed again as more skin felt like it were on fire. Crawling backwards as fast as she could, another shockwave hit the Normandy causing her to roll into an open panel with exposed wiring. Feeling the heat from that, Reese did the only thing she had the strength left to do. She put up a barrier and prayed.

~~~~~

_“What happened?”_

_“She was caught in an electrical fire…”_

_“Why was she even in the maintenance area? She was supposed to be on the bridge.”_

_“She was attempting to redirect power to reinitialize the fire suppression system for the AI Core, Major. She saved my life.”_

_“Will she be alright? She was screaming…”_

_“I have given her meds for the pain. We have done everything we can for her. The burns have been medicated and treated…”_

_“What about those cuts and lacerations? The ones from the wiring…”_

_“I have done all I can for now. She will need to see a specialist when we get back to Earth.”_

_“Doc, I’m a trained field medic so is Kori…She’ll know more happened to her than that…She has nerve damage doesn’t she?”_

_“Yes. I believe it is repairable, but it will take time.”_

_“But she’s alive.”_

_“She’s alive and so are you.”_

_“We all are.”_


	29. Chapter 29

**_Thursday, January 4, 2187, SSV Normandy SR2_ **

Kaidan sat on the bed next to Reese reading over the damage reports for the Normandy. The shockwave had hit the SR2 and knocked it off course. To be more specific, out of the Sol system all together. Joker had been able to land the ship on a planet with some alpha numeric designation he didn’t bother to remember. As the repair teams worked around the clock, EDI projected all systems back on line in the next 12 hours. They had already been out of the action for 18.

He sighed as he glanced over at his fiancée. Getting hurt himself he had thought might happen and had come to accept that possibility. But her getting injured? On the Normandy? He somehow had thought she would escape that by being in space despite his comments earlier in the captain’s cabin.

She was unconscious per Chakwas’ orders. Her arms were bandaged from her above her elbows down to her fingers. Her face showed signs of minor burns, more like a bad sunburn. And her hair, her long dark wavy locks were gone. Instead the once long tresses were now cut haphazardly to different lengths, none of them below her shoulders.

When the rescue team had found her, she had been in shock. Her barrier intermittently flaring. EDI reported that during the Crucible shockwave, she had been thrown into an open access port that had caught fire. Somehow the wiring had gotten caught in her hair and burned some of it while almost melting into other strands. It hurt him to see her like that and knowing he couldn’t have helped her. But she was _alive_ …

“Major Alenko,” a soft very female voice called from behind him.

He turned to see EDI standing by the edge of his bed. “Oh, hey EDI.”

“I have been monitoring the Lt. Commander’s vitals. They are strong and I project she will make a full recovery…in time,” the AI replied as her gaze drifted to the sleeping N7.

“She’s stubborn. She’ll be fine,” Alenko commented with more confidence than he felt.

“The repairs are progressing more efficiently than I had anticipated,” she informed him. “I believe we will be able to leave this planet in 8 hours. Our ETA to Earth should be less than one week without the Mass Relays.”

“Thanks, EDI,” he said as he turned to the synthetic. “But you could have told me that over the comm. What _really_ brings you down here?”

“I wish to check on Reese, _personally_ ,” the AI answered hesitantly. “It is _my_ fault she is here.”

“Your fault?” Kaidan echoed uncertainly. He glanced at Reese. “You think she’ll blame you for her injuries?”

“I was unable to handle the Reaper signal on my own. I put her in a situation that left her with very few alternatives,” EDI said staring passed him to the L3. “She put herself in harm’s way to save _my_ existence. I asked her not to…She did it anyway and _this_ is the result.”

The Specter couldn’t help but laugh. The unshackled AI let out a sound akin to a gasp. “There is no humor in those statements, Major.”

“No, there isn’t. But for the most advanced AI out there, you still don’t understand some things,” the Canadian observed. “You said you would risk non-functionality for Joker, for Shepard, for _all_ of us. It’s called friendship. It works both ways, EDI.”

He turned to stare at her again. “Kori may have bitched and moaned about having to remain aboard the Normandy but that didn’t mean she wasn’t going to do her duty or abandon a friend. You asked her to stay on board and back you up in case something happened. So while some may consider what she did incredibly stupid, I don’t. And neither should you. She did it to save you because you are her friend and a damned good one.”

The AI looked at the Major and then smiled a little. “I will take that into consideration…I will however attempt to locate the best specialists for Reese. It is the least I can do.”

Kaidan brushed some hair out of the N7’s eyes. “Good. That’s one less thing to worry about…”

“Excuse me, Major. But if I may…” EDI said hesitantly. “Specialist Traynor is well versed in human female appearance rituals. I could enlist her help in correcting her hair…”

He frowned at the AI. “You want to cut Kori’s hair?”

“I believe a layered look with its current length would be most appealing,” she offered.

Kaidan glanced back at Reese with a half grin. “You can come up with some things to propose to her, but just…She’s never cut her hair this short. It’s always been long since her colony was destroyed…”

“I will handle the matter with the most sensitive precautions, Major.”

“Thanks, EDI.”

The synthetic nodded as she left the medbay. He looked back at his fiancée and the ring he had put on the chain with her dog tags. It was her engagement ring he had gotten from their quarters. She never worn it while on duty saying she was afraid she’d lose it. Even with all that had happened, the future looked brighter than it had in a long time.

The only thing that would make it better was knowing the fates of Shepard and Anderson.

*****

**_Saturday, January 6, 2187, Vancouver, Earth_ **

“Is everyone safe?” Reese asked hoarsely as Kaidan sat on the side of her bed. They had reached Vancouver a few hours before and transferred all the injured to a temporary medical unit.

“Yeah,” the Major said with a grin as he gently caressed her cheek. It was still red from the burns, and he wasn’t sure how sensitive it was.

“EDI?”

“She’s fine. And she has some things she wants to talk to you about, but they can wait a little while,” he replied as she looked around.

“Where am I?”

“A MASH unit outside Vancouver,” he answered bracing for questions concerning her injuries. “Dr. Chakwas kept you sedated until we got home.”

“Why—I…” She glanced down at her arms. She tried to move them, but they wouldn’t cooperate. In a panic tone, she said, “ _Kaidan_ , what’s wrong with my—"

“Hey, shhhh. It’s alright. You’re gonna be alright. You received some third degree burns from the electrical fire…” he soothed as he held her head with both his hands.

“Then why can’t I move—"

“Kori, you just woke up…”

“Tell me or I swear I’ll kick your ass somehow, Alenko!”

He sighed. She probably would. “There is some nerve damage both from the fire and the wiring and the bulkhead. Apparently, the fire was hot enough that it superheated the power cable you were trying to reroute and damaged the nerves…”

She narrowed her eyes trying to recall exactly what happened. “EDI said there was a shockwave in bound, and I had one connection left…It cut me when I—"

“You are gonna be fine. EDI is trying to locate a specialist now. But Dr. Chakwas has a good prognosis for you,” he said reassuringly.

She looked up at him as blankly. “Kori, we’ll get through this…”

“Shepard and Anderson?” she said changing the subject.

Kaidan had expected that as he helped her drink a glass of water. “Legacy got them out in time. They are both in ICU in London. Dr. Chakwas is currently there with both of them.”

“They get the real doctor while I get stuck with the field medic,” she said trying humor that she didn’t necessarily feel.

“Hey,” Kaidan said faking being hurt as he leaned down to her level. “This field medic has saved your pretty ass a few times, if he recalls correctly.”

Reese smiled weakly as him. “Yeah. You have.”

“We’re going to be fine, Kori. We won. The Reapers are gone for good, and we’re still here. _Everyone_ is,” he said touching his forehead to hers. “I love you.”

“Hmmmm,” was her response as he kissed her. With just that knowledge, she could do anything. He was right. They had beat the Reapers and now there was a future. _Their_ future.

Together. Anything was possible now. _Anything_.

*****

**_The war is over. The Reapers have been defeated. Against all odds, and in the face of the greatest threat this galaxy has ever known, we survived. We suffered many losses. The relays are severely damages, but we won. This victory belongs to each of us…every man, woman, and child. Every civilization…on every world. Now as we take our first steps towards restoring what we lost, we must remember what it took to win. This wasn’t a victory by a single fleet, a single army, or even a single species. If this war has taught us anything, it is that we are at our strongest when we work together. And if we can put down our grievances long enough to stop something as powerful as the Reapers, imagine what we can achieve now that they are defeated. It will take time, but we can rebuild everything that was destroyed. Our homes, our worlds, our fleets and defenses. All of this and more. Together we can build a future greater than anyone of us could imagine. A future paid for by the sacrifices of those who fought and died alongside us. A future that many will never see. And while we still have many challenges ahead of us, we can face them together. And we will honor those who died to give us that future._ **


	30. Epilogue

**_Six months after the end of the Reaper_ ** **_W_ ** **_ar_ **

****

**_Thursday, July 19, 2187, Alenko Cabin, Near Chanter Peak, North Shore Mountains, British Columbia, Canada, Earth_ **

Kaidan Alenko--Alliance Major, commander of the First Biotic Special Operations Company, and second human Specter—stood on a mountain overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Along the shore, the remnants of the Seattle-Vancouver megaplex sprawled inland. The home of the Alliance headquarters on Earth had been hit hard. It would take years if not decades for the many cities like it to finally recover. Being the practical man he was, he was fully aware that some would never fully recuperate and nothing would ever be like it was before.

He tilted his head to glance up at the starry sky. If EDI had been correct (and when wasn’t she) the Northern Lights would begin to be visible soon. He grinned. Against all odds, they had made it back to Earth, to his cabin, to their home. As optimistic as he had tried to be during the war, a small part of him had always wondered if they would really win. He was glad that part had been wrong.

Rebuilding would be hard. Hell, it already had been, but it was worth it to see the new levels of cooperation and trust between all species. They had broken the cycle for the first time in who knew how long. They had to make it count. They had to make this new life count.

“I’m not late, am I?” An all too familiar voice called from down the slope.

He shook his head. “Nah. You still have a few more minutes.”

Kaidan turned to see Reese hiking up the side of the mountain along the path from the cabin. _Their_ cabin he corrected himself. She was smiling at him as she held a Canadian laguer in each hand.

Automatically, he moved to intercept her until she gave him the death stare. “If you keep trying to do everything for me I’ll never improve, and my therapist will lecture me again. Which means I will lecture _you_ again, Alenko.”

“I just don’t want you to drop it.”

“Oh! So it’s the beer you’re really worried about and not me. I see how it is,” she joked as she reached him.

He gave her a look but accepted the beer from her anyway. “You know that’s not true, Kori.”

“Well if I were to drop one, wouldn’t it be better to do it out _here_ instead of in the cabin?” she asked sarcastically.

He shook his head. She had come far in the six months since their return to Earth. The nerve damage was slowly improving through genetic therapy. The skin grafts to her arms were healing nicely as well. Her physical therapy was going as smoothly as it could considering Kori’s impatience. She wanted to be able to do everything she had before the accident on the Normandy as quickly as possible. Eventually she would; it would just take time. Something she still had problems with even after their talks years ago on the SR1.

One thing that _had_ changed was her willingness to ask for help. Of course the _way_ in which she did was so definitely uniquely Kori. Case in point as she just stared at him, her own beer held out to him.

“Are you going to open it for me?”

He grinned at her. “I don’t know. With an attitude like that…”

“You knew full well about my attitude _before_ we got married,” she snapped playfully. “Now are you going to help your poor helpless wife or not?”

Kaidan took the beer from her, unscrewing the cap as he noted skeptically, “You are _anything_ but helpless, Kori. You threaten to kick my ass when you first woke up after the accident.”

“Fine, Mr. Alenko. I will biotically kick your ass just as you taught me too.”

“I did _not_ teach you to kick my ass. You learn _that_ on your own,” he noted handing her the beer.

A glint of metal on her left hand caught his eye. Frowning, he took her freehand and examined it. “You… You’re wearing it—them.”

“Yeah,” she said quietly. “I’ve been doing the exercises my therapist suggested. I’ve managed to build back up enough muscle and stuff to keep them from falling off.”

He carefully intertwined the fingers of his left hand with hers. Their wedding rings clinked together ever so softly. Her engagement ring rested alongside the other one, a sight he hadn’t thought to see for a long while.

“I’m glad, but I thought you said they felt funny.”

“They do,” she confirmed with a nod. “But my doctor says that I’ll get used to it since the graphs are working out.”

“Sweetheart, whatever works for you,” he said pulling her to his chest. “I don’t care if you have to still wear them with your tags or not. All I really care about is the fact we both made it out alive. Back here. Together. Do you know how amazing that is?”

Reese nodded as she tilted her head, his beard tickling her skin. “Yes, techboy. I know.”

He held her for a few long moments of silence. Just enjoying once again the fact they were alive.

Reese made a noise as she tried to turn in his arms. He glanced up to see the Northern Lights beginning to glow above. He held her in his arms, her back to his chest. They had been fighting since the Reaper War began, hoping to make it back to this point and now they had. They had gazed up at the exact same sky for many nights now, but it never lost its magic.

The cabin had survived by some miracle, only needing minor repairs. After his leg healed enough for them to move into it, he and several Normandy crewmembers made the necessary repairs to it. They were still working on his parents’ house at the orchard though. His mom had chosen to stay there after he made sure the house with habitable. She said she felt like his father was still there in spirit if nothing else. And based on that, she’d offered the orchard as a place to have their wedding.

It had been a small affair. Just friends and what little family remained. The crew of the Normandy and their allies had been in attendance. Anderson with a cane had insisted on walking Reese down the aisle. Kori had protested but acquiesced once he played the _“I am proud to do it don’t deny my request”_ card. Shepherd still in a wheelchair had been Kaidan‘s best man. Tali caught the bouquet much to Garrus’ confusion until EDI explained the significance. In a twist of events, it was Joker who had performed the ceremony, having been ordained over the extranet for just the occasion. He had muttered something about making up for lost time and mistakes.

In the end it had been perfect. Even with all the hardships, all the losses, and all the obstacles yet to overcome. It was all worth it. They were together back on Earth at the cabin watching the Northern Lights.

Their honeymoon had been in the Vancouver mountains along the coast, camping under those very same lights. It had been two months ago to the day. Kori had been confident enough to hold the ring meant for his finger. Insisting that she be able to slide it on herself. He agreed, knowing how significant that was to her and offering unwavering support in her endeavors. He always had, and he always would.

His thoughts were interrupted when Kori said, “We made it, techboy.”

He agreed. “Yeah, we did. Through all these years…through everything… We made it.”

“Still time to change your mind about keeping me around forever.”

“Nope. That ship has sailed. I am Mr. Alenko married to Mrs. Reese-Alenko. I wouldn’t change a thing.”

“Are you sure? Back in December you…”

“Not a thing, Kori. Everything along our broken road led me straight to you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the end of the main story for Kori and Kaidan. Thank you for making it this far. I know it's hard sometimes to want to read about an OC paired with Kaidan that isn't Shepard but I appreciated those that took a chance on Kori. THANK YOU!
> 
> I have some other stories posted centering around Kaidan and Kori's relationship and their individual journeys as well that are linked to the "All or Nothing" series Broken Road and Messages are a part of. I intend to upload more stories about these two (albeit not on a regular schedule).
> 
> Thanks again for reading and hopefully Kori and Kaidan will see you again soon.


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